Labor federation head Arnon Bar-David on Wednesday threw his support behind a march planned by family members of hostages and called on the Israeli public to join them. Bar-David also said he would supply the march with resources, and appointed a senior team to accompany marchers and organizers.
The march, a protest meant to increase pressure on Israel’s leadership to bring about a hostage deal, left from outside the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv Wednesday afternoon and participants will walk for four days and arrive in Jerusalem Saturday night.
'Einav Zangauker’s struggle is also my struggle'
Protests have been ramping up in the last week, and media reports over the weekend that Hamas has made a counter-offer for a hostage deal that Israeli officials say is close to one Israel can accept, have only caused these to intensify.
“The ability to close a deal that will bring the hostages home is the most important mission of [Israel’s] leadership, and the only measure of its strength,” said Bar-David.“On October 7, the State of Israel failed in its most basic task – to defend its citizens,” he said.“I call on the prime minister to come to his senses and do everything to bring our sons and daughters home,” he concluded.Einav Zangauker, mother of hostage Matan Zangauker, and Dani Elgarat, brother of hostage Yitzhak Elgarat were both among the family members leading the march.“This morning an investigation was published that shows that time after time there were deals on the table and [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu torpedoed them,” said Zangauker.“We are now at the moment of truth for a deal,” she added, asking the public to join her in the march to “ensure that no one torpedoes a deal.”“We won’t give up on the hostages. We won’t give up on a deal,” said Elgarat.Protests organizations and the family members of hostages have been calling on Bar-David to call for a general strike that would shut down Israel’s economy, to increase pressure on Israel’s political echelon to make a hostage deal happen.Thousands marched to the Histadrut House as part of a day of disruption Sunday, which was the fourth day of a string of protests that took place over last weekend.Last year, Bar-David famously called a general strike the day after “Gallant Night,” the night of intense protests that followed the firing of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during protests over the judicial reform.The firing came after Gallant called on Netanyahu to halt the controversial judicial reforms due to potential damage to Israel’s national security.Following mass protests, the firing was eventually retracted, and the events set off a chain reaction that led to a cessation of the reform in favor of negotiations at the President’s Residence.That strike had an estimated cost of NIS 2.5 billion, Ynet reported, adding that the estimated lost national product of a general strike in which Israel’s entire economy shuts down is NIS 5.8b. per day.Bar-David has been critical of the government and its handling of the war. He has also called for elections to be scheduled in past months, Israeli media reported.
Eliav Breuer contributed to this report.