Israel cannot define itself as a national home for the Jewish people if it does not continue with the remaining phases of the hostage deal and bring back all hostages, new Knesset Aliyah and Absorption Committee chair MK Gilad Kariv said in a special committee meeting with the 50th annual Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations (CoP) in Jerusalem on Tuesday.
Kariv described his position as “the exact opposite” of what Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli presented to the CoP on Sunday. Chikli on Sunday explained why he had voted against the hostage deal and argued that it damaged Israeli security.
Chikli also said that he opposed continuing on with phase two of the deal, which would likely require a prolonged ceasefire.
“It is the responsibility of the State of Israel to present plans for the day after,” Kariv said. “We will need the assistance and support of the US administration, but the prime minister of Israel must present a plan that meets the moral standards of the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state and meets the parameters of practicality and pragmatism.
“Sixteen months after the war began, we need real plans and not headlines. Plans that will respect the foundations of the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state, and implementable plans that will allow us to strive for a reality of peace and hope, for Israel and the entire region.”
Kariv will not refrain from discussing contentious issues
Kariv took over the committee from Yisrael Beytenu MK Oded Forer, based on earlier agreements between the two parties. In his speech to the CoP on Tuesday, Kariv repeated comments he made a day earlier, namely that he would not refrain from discussing contentious issues.
These included “the need for a broad interpretation of the Law of Return, ensuring that anyone who has chosen to join the Jewish people through any recognized stream of Judaism is welcomed with open arms. We will oppose efforts to narrow the scope of this interpretation,” Kariv said.
He added, “We will make sure that equality and mutual respect between all streams of Judaism are not just empty slogans but guiding principles for the work of government ministries. The best way to guarantee the unity of the Jewish people is to respect all expressions of Jewish identity. Unfortunately, this is not a universally accepted understanding in this house.”