Professor Yonatan Dekel-Chen, the father of Sagui Dekel-Chen, who was captured by Hamas on October 7, was interviewed on the "Kofman and Arieh" program on 103FM and sharply criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reported by Walla on Friday.
"The one who sits at the top and who is responsible for what happened, primarily, on October 7 - that is our Prime Minister," he said. "To return the captives or whoever is possible, to return them alive, not to sacrifice them again."
When asked whether his American citizenship helps in his ability to fight, Dekel-Chen replied that for him, as a “kibbutz member since 1982,” the citizenship is an “accompanying right.”
He further added that his US citizenship helps him receive a more open and committed response from “American authorities … to both listen and act.” Yonatan stressed that he is aware that the US is trying to mediate, and that they “are doing their best and utmost as a third party to pressure everyone.”
Professor Dekel-Chen spoke about the efforts to return the hostages and argued that the government is looking for reasons not to return the captives, Walla reported. "I think anyone with eyes in their head understands that something shameful is happening here, something extremely difficult,” the report quoted him as saying.
He then proceeded to claim that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a few ministers are looking for “any excuse not to return to hostages.”
"Since 2007, we've been living under the threat of Hamas every day … no one needs to persuade me that Hamas needs to be eliminated,” said Prof. Dekel-Chen. He then spoke about his hope that he would be able to help raise his grandchildren where he raised his “four wonderful children,” one of whom is the hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen.
Hostage father's diplomatic appeal
The interview then developed into Prof. Dekel-Chen’s opinion on the scenario in which the hostages are returned, but Hamas is still in control of Gaza. “I believe with all my heart that it's possible to do both things together," he said.
"It's possible to release the hostages alive, but only through some negotiation, with a cruel, murderous, terrible enemy, but that's the enemy that we have. To complete negotiations with a terrible enemy, you must sit until smoke comes out,” Prof. Dekel-Chen elaborated.
"Let's remember that since the events of September 1996, I've been living on the border every day," continued the hostage’s father. "The one who sits at the top and who is responsible for what happened, primarily, on October 7 - that is our Prime Minister,” he then stressed.
Prof. Dekel-Chen then added that “to return the hostages … not to sacrifice them again. [The government] sacrificed us, and certainly the hostages, on October 7.”