American Leadership Is Required To Secure The Release Of The Hostages

I began to write this Shabbat message on Wednesday evening, just several hours after the announcement of the cease-fire and hostage release deal. I am acutely aware that much of what I write could easily be obsolete by the time it reaches you. It’s a highly fluid and dynamic situation. There are a lot of moving pieces.  The devil is in the details.  

By now, the outline of the deal is clear. 33 hostages are expected to be released in the first phase of what is essentially a three-part deal. The first stage calls for a 42-day ceasefire.  According to reports, the first hostages might be released as early as Sunday.  94 people are still believed to be held by Hamas and their allies, of which at least 60 are still believed to be alive.  It is expected that there will be dead bodies among the 33 scheduled for the initial release.

The release of 33 hostages is of course wonderful news, something for which the Israeli government and the worldwide Jewish community has been working and praying for 15 months. But the deal is an imperfect one. It was the goal of both the government, and the various hostage advocacy groups to prevent a phased release of the captives. For all its benefits, the second and third phases of this deal depend on the success of negotiations during the first 42 days of the cease-fire, with no guarantee of success.  This means that any hostages not released in the initial phase could potentially be in Gaza much longer.  It is far from a good deal. Given the tactics and ideology of Hamas, giving them the benefit of the doubt is as foolish as it is irresponsible. But for a variety of military, strategic, and political reasons, the government of Israel has endorsed it.  So must we, completely, if not enthusiastically.

(By the way, now it is 9:00 AM on Thursday morning.  The Government of Israel has delayed a cabinet vote on the deal due to allegations that Hamas has reneged on several provisions agreed to previously.)

(Now it is 3:00 PM on Thursday afternoon.  The Government of Israel announced that it will not vote on the cease-fire until Friday.)

There are many different places where you can turn for political analysis and commentary about the deal, its potential benefits, as well as risks and drawbacks. What I want to share with you this Shabbat is my own belief that ultimately, this deal, whatever its merits and drawbacks, is the result of painstaking, grinding, and difficult negotiations that would not have taken place, or ended successfully, without significant American leadership and involvement.  For any progress in the region, that type of leadership must continue.  The cease-fire agreement, if successful, is a ringing endorsement of strong American leadership on the world stage, especially in the Middle East.  Ronald Reagan, George Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush understood this.  The Obama and first Trump administrations did not, with attendant poor results.  Already, news of the cease-fire has been almost overshadowed by whether the Biden administration, or the incoming Trump administration should get “credit’ for this deal. The truth is that both played a significant role in getting this over the goal line.  Yet what is also true is that every successful peace treaty or other deal between Israel and her neighbors has been the result of constant United States pressure, involvement, and leadership.  Whether we are Democrats or Republicans, whether we agree with policies of the current Israel government or oppose them, there is no denying that fact. If we want to see continued progress, and increased opportunities for greater relationships, trade, and even peace between Israel and her neighbors, American leadership will be key.  There is no alternative.    

Several weeks ago, I wrote a Shabbat message, criticizing the legacy of the Carter administration. But before I shared my criticism of the former president, and what I consider his particularly troubling role in fostering anti-Israel sentiment during his post presidency, I reminded the community that when assessing elected officials regarding Israel, we must be scrupulously fair. So I also pointed out his seminal role (among other successes of particular benefit to the Jewish community) in helping to achieve the Camp David Accords, the first treaty ever signed between Israel and Egypt, one of her traditional adversaries. President Clinton’s personal involvement was key to securing the Oslo Accords in 1993, as well as later securing the treaty between Israel and Jordan in 1994. President Trump’s prioritizing of new approaches to Middle East peacemaking culminated in the Abraham Accords, which, defying all expectations did not crumble under the weight of the last 15 months of fighting between Israel and Hamas.  President Biden’s personal involvement, and the determined efforts of his administration in prioritizing the release of the hostages made all the difference. And yes, there is plenty of evidence that President-elect Trump’s own involvement helped push the Israeli government into accepting a deal as well, agreeing to difficult conditions and terms that they had rejected earlier.

Since last Passover, each week at our Friday night Shabbat service, I have told the congregation that I hope and pray that this might be the week when we finally hear the news that our prayers have been answered, and that the hostages would finally be free.  This could be the week.  Time will tell. But only American leadership will make it  happen.