Three women involved in kidnapping deal receive warm welcome

(MENAFN) Tonight, we will welcome the three women involved in the kidnapping deal, a moment filled with deep emotional and strategic significance. Despite the Political efforts, including mediation and negotiations, the true heroism lies in the silent courage of these women and the other hostages. While the lost time and the absence of family and friends cannot be restored, we can offer them a future, hope, and peace. Yesterday, I heard the Prime Minister's speech and felt disappointed. Even when he takes the right step, he feels the need to cover it up with lies and distorted truths. Netanyahu refuses to understand what every Israeli knows: the deal has a high cost. As a national leader, he should acknowledge this cost and face it directly. There's no need for grand rhetoric—just honesty in addressing the nation.

Under the terms of the deal, thousands of militants will be released to Gaza, the West Bank, and Muslim countries. If it were up to me, with all the pain that entails, I would release the detainees if it meant that even one kidnapped woman would be freed. An honest leader would have addressed the Israeli public yesterday, acknowledging the tough decision to free dangerous prisoners, saying, "This is the price we must pay to bring our people home, and there’s no escaping it." Unfortunately, Netanyahu lacks honesty and true leadership. He doesn't trust the wisdom of the people who elected him. He praises the Israeli public in speeches but doesn't believe in their understanding. His actions, over time, have shown a lack of kindness toward his people, with politics eroding any empathy he might have had.

Netanyahu is also the first prime minister to turn a family issue into a national statement. While he glorified the soldiers' heroism, he neglected to praise the unity within the Israeli army that worked tirelessly to bring every kidnapped person home, sometimes under extreme conditions. Their story deserves to be told. This isn't the time for regret over missed opportunities. If all goes as planned, it will be a day of joy and recovery. But the future must be faced with open eyes. Netanyahu promised that the war in Gaza would continue, meaning it will not end with this deal. However, for war to resume, Hamas would have to break the ceasefire. If they don't, there is no excuse for continuing the conflict.

The decision to resume the war will leave behind the families of the kidnapped, almost certainly condemning them. Even as Trump prepares to take over as president, Netanyahu risks robbing him of a Nobel Peace Prize by pushing forward with policies that undermine peace. Israel's refusal to allow legitimate Palestinian governance in Gaza has paved the way for Hamas to regain control, and with a ceasefire in place, it is already reasserting its influence. The flow of billions for humanitarian aid and reconstruction will pass through Hamas-controlled Gaza. Of all the missteps since October 8, the failure to allow Hamas to govern Gaza is the most significant. Finally, the kidnapping deal reflects Israel's political future. While Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc may win elections, it seems unable to govern effectively. Its members focus on their divisive agendas, with figures like Ben Gvir, Smotrich, and Levin pushing their own destructive ideologies. True reform can only begin with the return of the abductees, and it cannot stop there.

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