‘Time is Running Out’: A Hostage Family’s Desperate Plea
After her 23-year-old daughter was abducted from the Nova music festival by Hamas militants on October 7, Meirav Gonen’s world was torn apart.
J Street organizes pro-Israel, pro-peace Americans to promote US policies that embody our deeply held Jewish and democratic values and that help secure the State of Israel as a democratic homeland for the Jewish people. We believe that only a negotiated resolution agreed to by Israelis and Palestinians can meet the legitimate needs and national aspirations of both peoples.
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In a moment of crisis and war for Israelis and Palestinians, and with events on the ground and in Washington moving fast, it is extremely important for J Street to be clear about where we stand, what we are advocating for, and what we are encouraging the Biden Administration and Members of Congress to do.
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To truly protect Jews on campus and across the country, Congress must implement a collaborative and nuanced antisemitism strategy that centers Jewish safety above political gamesmanship.
We urge senators to continue to make the safe return of the hostages a high-priority issue in all meetings with the Biden administration and other interlocutors, and to strongly consider the impact that any US policies and actions may have on the safety of hostages.
After her 23-year-old daughter was abducted from the Nova music festival by Hamas militants on October 7, Meirav Gonen’s world was torn apart.
While it must be said that Palestinians will never gain their freedom through terror, it is equally true that Israelis will never gain security through military force alone.
Not knowing the fate of the person you love the most is a particularly cruel form of torture.
Progressive values should demand that we see this conflict beyond picking a "side" and recognize the shared suffering of both peoples.
After $15 Billion in Military Aid, Israel Calls Alliance With US ‘Ironclad’, The New York Times
The aid bill was signed as Israel continued to make plans to invade the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where more than a million displaced Palestinians are sheltering. The Biden administration has said it will oppose such an invasion without a workable plan to protect civilians from harm. The legislation also provides $1 billion in additional humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza, including food, medical supplies and clean water, Biden said. “Israel must make sure all this aid reaches the Palestinians in Gaza without delay,” he said.
Hamas Releases Video of Israeli Hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, NBC News
Speaking to the camera in Hebrew, the 23-year-old, whose left arm is severed below his elbow, angrily asks the Israeli government to bring home the hostages, as the war in Gaza entered its 200th day Tuesday. It was unclear when the video was recorded or the conditions under which he spoke, given that he is a Hamas captive. It is likewise not clear if he is still alive. In a statement in response to the video, the Goldberg-Polin family said “Hersh’s cry is the collective cry of all the hostages — their time is rapidly running out. With each passing day, the fear of losing more innocent lives grows stronger.”