Rabbi Doron Peretz, father of fallen soldier Captain Daniel Peretz, calls for unity between the National Institutions and the Government of Israel, "Let us not bring the divisiveness of Israeli politics into the scent of the national institutions, tearing them apart. Ladies and gentlemen, heads of all the Zionist organizations of the diaspora, and all those who the national institutions and the Zionist endeavor, the World Zionist Organization are important, I have an appeal from the bottom of my heart."
"I've had the great merit of being nominated to be the incoming Chairman of the World Zionist Organization, but I am greatly concerned, indeed fearful, that currently there is not yet an agreement from wall to wall amongst all the different parties and streams as is customary in the World Zionist Organization," he continued.
Rabbi Peretz added that, "On Wednesday evening as the Congress was ending, we were so close. We had agreed on everything. After weeks and days of negotiation, all the parties basically had agreed, were about to sign, and at the last minute, a particular candidate from the Likud, which many are opposed to, caused the entire agreement to come tumbling down."
"It's legitimate that there may be an individual from a certain party that other people feel is something that should be contended with. There's no problem in our democratic process. One can vote on the particular individual, but to bring the entire agreement down and to turn it around at the last minute and cause a one-sided agreement with almost half of the delegates and organizations, indeed every single party represented in the government are not part of this agreement yet."
"It's something which will drive a wedge at the heart of the national institutions, which is something that we cannot allow. You see, not only will it cause a wedge within the national institutions, it will pit the World Zionist Organization against the government, and nothing good will come out of that."
"My appeal to you is, the Israeli government represents 40% of the national institutions, 30% is American Jewry, 30% the rest of the world. 60% of these institutions are under the authority and jurisdiction of the Diaspora Jewry. It is absolutely critical that we do not allow internal Israeli politics, without taking sides, each one has their perspective, and that interests me less than what is the future of the national institutions."
"We have to bring the Jewish people together, especially now after October 7th, especially now that we still have 11 of our hostages to bring back for burial, including Itai Chen from our son's tank, three officers, combat soldiers, and other people after two years of harrowing and horrific challenges that we've had."
He called out, "Now is the time to bring the national institutions together. Let us ensure at this critical juncture in Jewish history that the priorities of the Jewish people, the integrity of the Jewish people, the unity of the national institutions, at this time indeed when we say ביחד ננצח, together we will prevail."
"Only together as one indeed will we prevail. Today's the time to bring us all together, to sit together, as one nation, one family of one heart, to navigate together the future of Zionism and the state of Israel," Rabbi Peretz concluded