MK Boaz Bismuth (Likud) spoke to Arutz Sheva-Israel National News following the release of three hostages in the first phase of the hostage release deal, as well as the return of US President Donald Trump to office.
“Yesterday we had tears of joy and this is something that our nation needs and this is something that we were waiting for so long. Those three amazing beauties, those three princesses that are released from Gaza and are back to their mothers, are back to the nation, are back to their country, to their home, to their beds,” Bismuth said of his feelings upon seeing the release of Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari.
At the same time, he continued, “Yesterday, I took the car and I went to the north. I went to Ma'alot, a city where there was a horrific terrorist attack in the 70s when I used to visit my family in Galilee. And I went there to see the family, the Shushan family, who lost their son, another hero, Yaakov Yair, 22 years old, a lieutenant. I saw the family crying of sadness. And you see on television the happiness of a nation crying from joy.”
“And all those tears, mixed up together, joy and sadness and agony. And that's exactly Israel since the 7th of October. Moments where we feel so united and so proud and moments where we were so, so, so sad. And this is what we are living right now. But I can tell you this is a biblical event. This is something that is huge. It's bigger than us. It will take us time to understand,” stated Bismuth.
“The only thing we do understand in real time is that from this huge, huge challenge that we have, we shall be stronger. We shall win. And the tears of joy that we had yesterday are thanks to the tears of sadness that I saw in that family in Ma'alot. The three amazing girls were released thanks to those amazing heroes we shall never forget,” he added.
Asked to relate to the opposition to the hostage release deal, both due to the heavy price that Israel has to pay and the fear that this deal is a surrender to Hamas, Bismuth replied, “I understand them. I embrace them. I hug them. These are my friends. This is my political family. And I totally understand and you can hear that from so many people in Israel.”
“Who likes to see bloody terrorists coming out of jail? You would like to see them rot in jail for the rest of their lives. This is how it should be. Yet, when I took the decision to approve the deal, it's because that I know, believe me, I know, that the war is not over. That we have objectives. One of the objectives, of course, is the release of the hostages, which is urgent,” he added.
Bismuth stressed, “It's urgent. Yet, yet, the war will continue. Our American friends know that perfectly well. Hamas cannot stay in Gaza, cannot stay in Gaza. Because if they do stay, there will not be faith from Israel in the government and in the Israeli army, and there is no more deterrence of Israel in the Middle East. And that is why we shall finish to bring back the hostages, and then we go back to war, and this time to the end. Hamas cannot stay in Gaza. Neither military nor diplomatically. Cannot.”
Responding to claims that this deal was only a result of President Trump's pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rather than a result of pressure on Hamas, Bismuth said, “That is very unfair to Prime Minister Netanyahu. Because unless you would like to rewrite history in real time, President Trump, of course, contributes a lot to the security of Israel as an American president. And we know how much he's concerned, and, of course, we will never forget the Abraham Accords, which I guess will expand now that he came back to office. Yet, we know that Prime Minister Netanyahu proposed and was behind five deals in the past. We know that on the 27th of May, Hamas said no to another Israeli proposition.”
“Prime Minister Netanyahu wanted to have a deal a long time ago. We know, thanks to the American administration, Biden's administration, that it's Hamas who said no, but, unfortunately, people are rewriting history in real time,” noted Bismuth.
“It is no secret that President Trump does not like wars. It is no secret that President Trump wanted those hostages to be released. It is no secret that President Trump contributes a lot to the security and to the reputation of Israel in the world. We are so happy that he is back. You know my support. I never, as a journalist or as an editor-in-chief, hidden my support for President Trump. Yet one should also pay respect to the decision of Prime Minister Netanyahu. Very courageous decision. As you know, his base wasn't keen for this deal.”
“I think that, politically speaking, in the short term, maybe it was not the best decision he took. But, historically speaking, and for the Israeli people, he took the best decision,” said Bismuth, who added, “Give me a decision a Western Prime Minister or President took in the last five decades which was as difficult as this decision. I don't think you'll find one. And this is why I salute my Prime Minister.”
On the significance of Trump’s return for a second term in the White House, Bismuth said, “We have a best friend coming back to the White House. Since President Cleveland, I think he's the first president, or the second president that was in office, lost an election, and came back to office.”
“Concerning President Trump, look at the past and you'll understand the future. Or, you know, as people say, you write the future with the ink of the past. We know the four years of his [first] administration. He was an amazing president, amazing president, not only for Israel, for America, and for the world. I repeat again, zero conflicts in the world, Abraham Accords, the guy is huge. I appreciate President Trump.I met him. I have so many hours with President Trump. I know him perfectly well. I know the love he has for Israel. And by the way, the love he has for people.”
“Unfortunately, in his first term, you remember how he was described by opposition, by the wokes. He was described as evil, and today, look how people are happy for him coming back. I think it's very good news, not only for Israel. I think it's a good news for America and for the world,” continued Bismuth.
“Concerning us, I do believe that when we are drawing a new Middle East, thanks to our heroes, thanks to our soldiers, thanks to our government, thanks to our decisions, I think that the contribution of the American administration will be huge. And don't forget, Trump is not alone. Look at all the people around him, from the Ambassador in Jerusalem, Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, Vice President, all the people in office. If I would like to change the Middle East, these are the people I would choose,” he concluded.