Gilad, be strong

My young Gilad. I send this letter to you. It will soon be two years since religious fanatics, those hate-filled destroyers of liberty, kidnapped you.

It is almost two years since your image, that of a young man who just turned 21 years old, calls out to us saying: Come liberate me. I can continue no longer. I want to see my parents again. I want to go home, I want to leave the hell I find myself in.

Your face, Gilad – speaking as a father myself – haunts me day and night. I think of you like millions of other Israelis think of you everyday.

In the beginning, I thought that we could liberate you through negotiations and talks. But today, with Hamas’ army of terrorists under the orders of Tehran launching a rocket offensive on the State of Israel, I am becoming more and more worried.

Our weaknesses are our love of life

It is a heavy price of extortion they are threatening to put into effect if Israel does not cease its military operations, which are nothing more than a legitimate defense in the face of daily acts of war.

It is a dirty war that we are fighting with Islamic fundamentalists. I do not believe that they believe in God like they say they do. I do not think that Islam motivates them, but instead an unlimited appetite for death and destruction.

They are only strong because they know our weaknesses. Our weaknesses are our love of life, our respect for our children – I should say this applies to all children without exceptions – while they are ready at every instant to put theirs at risk or, even worse, use them as human bombs.

War is one thing, cruelty and barbarity are another

I remember young boys, aged 12 or 14, coming to army checkpoints with bombs in their bags, placed their without knowledge by an older friend connected to a terrorist organization.

Gilad – I am almost tempted to call you my son – keep yourself together, be strong! Your destiny today is also ours. A destiny within which, once again, the Jew is trapped, specifically targeted because he is the symbol of a nation and a unique history.

If the young followers of Hamas think that by using your life they can change the course of history, they are wrong once again. We love our children, but we also have another trait: we never forget…

I call on the followers of Hamas and their acolytes to carefully consider the disastrous consequences for them and those who support them – in the case that anything happens to the life of Gilad.

War is one thing. Cruelty and barbarity are quite another. The State of Israel is with you my son. And know that even if sometimes the situation seems bleak, your abductors should not confuse restraint with weakness.

Gilad, this is both a letter of respect and love that I am sending you. Even if you think you are alone in this sea of extremism and violence, our focus, our thoughts, and our efforts are turned towards you.

Your strength is ours and our lives are yours

This text is a copy of a letter written one year ago. Another year has passed and you are still not with us. The situation has deteriorated in the south of Israel and the risks of a large military operation to stop the missile fire which falls on Israeli towns seems very close.

This morning your real father called me and talked about his anguish and anxieties. I was distraught.