Journalist Jacky Levy, who has several members of his family in Hamas captivity, told Channel 12 News in a telephone interview that the Religious Zionist community is trying to treat the issue of hostages as a political matter.
Speaking with MK Tzvi Succot (Religious Zionism), Levy said, "The attempts to portray us and the headquarters for the families of the hostages as political figures, to send out recordings over the course of a month - I cannot understand this. It's like we received a series of hints that the Religious Zionism party and community are giving his a cold shoulder."
"I tried to have the public sign a petition in which there were no political statements - only a call for the immediate return of the hostages. It was a difficult task, and we eventually gave up. It was easier to get people to sign a petition calling for the release of Amiram Ben-Uliel."
MK Succot responded: "I am involved in these matters, and have been over the last few weeks. I have seen a completely different reality. I carry with me a disc with the pictures of the missing and kidnapped people, and in my house in Yitzhar, I have posters with the logo of the headquarters for the hostages." Levy said that he was glad to hear it.
MK Succot commented that he had joined the march for the return of the hostages with prior coordination and the knowledge that he would face opposition there. Levy stated: "I condemned the attacks on you and those that carried them out."
"There are families or loved ones of the hostages that have taken this to a political level," Succot added. "You have not heard anything from anyone in our party about this. Our approach is that the families are sacred. Families with diametrically opposed opinions have sat in my office for completely non-political reasons. It does not contradict our positions."