Hostage Father Jonathan Dekel-Chen Lambastes Netanyahu at American Jewish Committee Oct. 7 Event
The father of a hostage held in the Gaza Strip marked the one-year anniversary of Hamas’ invasion of Israel by condemning Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a speech to American Jews.
Jonathan Dekel-Chen, whose son Sagui was captured by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023, delivered the speech at an American Jewish Committee (AJC) event in Washington, D.C. The speech was noteworthy for drawing a typically nonpartisan U.S. Jewish organization into the heart of Israel’s political turmoil. The AJC was unaware of what Dekel-Chen intended to say prior to the event.
“The soul of Israel, and I say this out loud to the AJC and beyond, the soul of Israel cannot survive if the hostages don’t come home,” Dekel-Chen declared to a packed room at the historic Sixth & I synagogue.
He linked the current disaffection to political clashes over the Netanyahu government’s efforts to weaken the judiciary. “The national crisis of faith plaguing our country began beforehand, in January 2023, when the same government tried to stage a judicial coup,” he noted. “The crisis of faith receded momentarily around October 7, in solidarity with the hostages and our brave soldiers, but the crisis reemerged with even greater urgency, with the popular understanding that the actions of our government clearly showed they did not prioritize the return of the hostages beyond lip service.”
Dekel-Chen accused Netanyahu of engaging in “childish” press conferences and “inflammatory speeches.” He argued that “Prime Minister Netanyahu only amplifies the ugliest parts of Israeli politics,” and criticized leaders for being unwilling to accept any accountability for Israel’s situation or offer a feasible vision for its future.
Following Dekel-Chen was the second gentleman Doug Emhoff, who recited the prayer for peace found in the Conservative movement’s official prayer book. Michael Herzog, Netanyahu’s envoy to Washington, also addressed the crowd.
Speeches like Dekel-Chen’s represent ongoing attempts by Israelis opposing Netanyahu to rally major American Jewish organizations behind their cause. Over the past year, anti-Netanyahu groups have been urging American Jewish leaders to step away from their longstanding reluctance to criticize Israeli governments over military and security matters.
Demands for criticism of Netanyahu have intensified as talks over a ceasefire and hostage release have hit a standstill. An initial ceasefire-for-hostages exchange last November resulted in the release of more than 100 captives and hundreds of Palestinian security prisoners. However, negotiations over the past months have been fruitless, with the Biden administration attributing the impasse primarily to Hamas, while critiquing Netanyahu for shifting negotiation expectations.
The AJC has not publicly criticized Netanyahu regarding a hostage deal, and Dekel-Chen apologized for catching the group off guard. “I realize that my words today perhaps are not exactly what you were expecting. I apologize to the AJC if some of it seems perhaps a little inappropriate on this solemn day,” he expressed.
The group’s CEO, Ted Deutch, thanked Dekel-Chen for his delivery but emphasized that the organization did not foresee its content. “That was not the speech we expected,” Deutch commented, refraining from endorsing or rejecting Dekel-Chen’s call. “The strength of the Jewish community especially in the October 7 world is in our unity as a people,” he added. “We talk often about the power of Israel’s democracy, the many voices within Israel. We acknowledged that your voice is one of many voices and we’re grateful you chose to be here today.”
A survey by the Israel Democracy Institute, released on the one-year anniversary of October 7, found that most Israelis wish for the war in Gaza to end, with a sizable majority viewing the liberation of hostages as the government’s top priority in the conflict. In the United States, many large Jewish organizations have proceeded with caution in discussing ceasefire deals, out of respect for the Israeli government’s strategic prerogatives.
“We are in the business of humanitarian support and loving and caring and supporting Israel in every way that we possibly can,” stated Eric Fingerhut, CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America. “But we know that ultimately the negotiation of any agreement is the responsibility of the government of Israel, and we respect that role. And so that’s not a place where we feel that we should be replacing what the government of Israel has the responsibility to do.”
This dynamic may be shifting. Some Jewish groups have publicly called for a deal after Hamas murdered six hostages who were known to be alive until just hours before Israeli troops discovered their bodies last August. The following month, on the day that Netanyahu addressed the United Nations General Assembly, a coalition of left-leaning and centrist organizations, including those representing the Reform and Conservative movements, appealed to Israel’s government to “seal the deal.”
Dekel-Chen, however, also urged some American Jews to moderate their rhetoric. He offered advice to J Street, a prominent Jewish group against Netanyahu. “A few weeks back, I asked them to abandon, at least for now, the two-state solution as a talking point,” he said, in referencing calls for a Palestinian state alongside Israel. “Not because I don’t believe it, simply because it’s a non-starter in terms of where Israeli society is today.”
