President Isaac Herzog spoke today, Thursday, via video call with Bruce Pearl, head coach of the Auburn Tigers basketball team. Coach Pearl has been widely praised for using his platform and press attention to raise awareness of the plate of the hostages being brutally held in Gaza – in particular speaking about Edan Alexander - who also holds US citizenship - and remains in captivity.
During their conversation, President Herzog thanked Coach Pearl and said: “You have raised the plight of our hostages in the most important arena of the United States public. This is the most important issue for humanity to my mind, because it shows how we are dealing with cruelty and the urgent need to bring innocent people home.”
Coach Pearl reaffirmed his strong support for Israel, emphasizing that “the vast majority of Americans support Israel” and now have a deeper understanding of the challenges the country has faced since its founding. He also shared that Adi Alexander, Edan’s father, was due to attend Auburn’s upcoming game as a guest of Athletes for Israel, helping to further spotlight the hostage crisis.
President Herzog underscored the moral imperative of securing the release of all hostages, saying, ”There are 59 hostages still in the dungeons of Gaza, held brutally. We want to see all of them—both the living and those who are not—returned home.”
Coach Pearl expressed his continued commitment to standing with Israel and ensuring that the world does not forget the hostages. President Herzog thanked him for his support, calling it an example of “moral clarity” and a testament to shared values.