Relatives of Israelis held hostage in Gaza on Monday turned to Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, demanding that she allow Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to delay his testimony in court.
In their letter, the families from the Tikva Forum warned that forcing Netanyahu to testify at the current time would take his attention away from the war and a potential prisoner swap deal, placing their loved ones in additional danger.
"This is an urgent call: Reduce the legal burden on the Prime Minister so that he can manage the hostage crisis," the families wrote. "We, the Tikva Forum, a forum which unites the hostages' families, turn to you urgently and with a cry: It is unthinkable that while the families of the hostages are suffering existential fear day and night, the Prime Minister, the central person charged with bringing them home, will be forced to dedicate 18 hours a week to testifying in court."
"Due to the complex security situation today, as the entire region trembles under Syria's collapse, the constant instability in Lebanon, the increasing power of Iran, and their direct influence on the northern and southern fronts, we need a Prime Minister who is 100% focused. His attention is not an 'extra,' it is a critical necessity."
The families explained the challenges that the Prime Minister is dealing with right now, adding, "It is unthinkable that during a time when the Prime Minister must make critical decisions about Israel's security, bringing the hostages home, and managing the ongoing and increasing crisis in the Middle East, he should be forced to dedicate such large amounts of time to managing his legal testimony. Every hour dedicated to the legal process comes at the expense of the efforts to bring the hostages home and harms the chance of saving them."
They concluded, "We demand that a way be found to reduce the burden placed on the Prime Minister and allow him to focus on tasks critical for State security, the lives of the hostages, and the welfare of Israel's citizens. Managing his testimony as part of a legal process must be carried out in a way which does not harm his ability to fulfill the tasks most critical for Israeli citizens and the families of the hostages. This it not just a call from the families - it is a national and security interest of the highest order. We cannot continue to act as if the legal reality is disconnected from the security situation. We call on you to act immediately to renew the balance in the priority list, so that the efforts to bring the hostages home will be at the top of the Prime Minister's priority list and that of the entire country."