Itzik Bonzel - whose son, Amit Bonzel, fell in combat in the Gaza Strip and who is currently running on the Likud Knesset slate - addressed the public uproar surrounding his harsh remarks about released hostage Yocheved Lifshitz during an interview with Arutz Sheva-Israel National News.
Bonzel clarified that while he apologized for personally offending Lifshitz, he firmly stands by his strong criticism of her statements regarding how the hostages were brought home.
The controversy erupted after Lifshitz claimed in an interview with Channel 13 News that Netanyahu and his government “did not bring back a single hostage; it’s all one big lie." She asserted that the release of the hostages was made possible through a donation from Miriam Adelson to US President Donald Trump. Lifshitz further alleged that Netanyahu “did not want the hostages returned so they wouldn’t reveal everything."
Her comments outraged Bonzel, who sharply criticized her and went so far as to say, “I wish there were a way to send her back to Hamas." He later issued an apology.
In his interview with Arutz Sheva-Israel National News, Bonzel explained the intent behind his apology: “I apologized recently for what I said. My apology was specifically for saying that - I do not actually wish for Yocheved, or any hostage, to return to Gaza. But the things Yocheved said are unforgivable and unacceptable. They are despicable and pathetic."
Bonzel emphasized that credit for bringing the hostages home belongs first and foremost to the IDF and the political leadership. “The people who brought the hostages home were our heroic IDF soldiers and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who took explicit action to return them. To claim that Miriam Adelson paid $100 million for them? How low can one go?"
Addressing Lifshitz directly, Bonzel added: “You are sitting in the tent of hatred built by the left. I am very glad that you returned, and beyond that, if I were required to send my sons again to bring you home to your family, I would tell them: Go and do everything you can, regardless of the cost."
When asked whether Netanyahu or anyone from his office had contacted him to demand an apology, Bonzel categorically denied it: “No one asked me to apologize. No one spoke to me, directed me, or is sending me."
Bonzel was also asked about recent allegations that Netanyahu had received advance warnings prior to the October 7 Hamas massacre. Rebuffing the claims against the Prime Minister, he asked: “Where is the evidence? Prove it. We know very well that these claims are false and unfounded."
Bonzel then raised a serious allegation involving former Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) chief Ronen Bar and other security officials. He stated that during a meeting at Bar’s invitation, he heard details about preparations made prior to the attack: “I sat with Ronen Bar in his office, alongside my wife, and heard directly from him how he prepared. He told us that he had deployed teams as early as 6:29 a.m., before the attack began," Bonzel claimed, further alleging that Bar and other top officials “knew exactly what was going to happen."
Finally, Bonzel addressed the meeting of opposition party leaders this past weekend and their failure to agree on a candidate for prime minister.
“The opposition leaders continue to fight among themselves, and that’s a good thing," he said. “They are fighting because they have no vision. Their entire platform is hatred of Netanyahu. They offer no alternative and no direction. When you have a path, everyone walks together toward the goal. When you have no path, there is no trail and no route."
“The opposition leaders continue to fight among themselves, and that’s a good thing," he said. “They are fighting because they have no vision. Their entire platform is hatred of Netanyahu. They offer no alternative and no direction. When you have a path, everyone walks together toward the goal. When you have no path, there is no trail and no route."