Israel President Isaac Herzog gave an interview today, Sunday February 9, to BBC’s Morning News. During the interview, the President sharply criticized the BBC’s policy and the manner in which it consistently and falsely equates convicted Hamas terrorists with innocent Israeli civilians who were abducted from their homes by a terrorist organization.
The President urged the BBC to cease promoting this misleading narrative and emphasized that Israel is a democracy that upholds the rule of law, while Hamas engages in barbaric terrorist acts.
In his conversation with BBC interviewer Laura Kuenssberg, the President said: “I completely reject this comparison. Moreover, I think the comparison the BBC is trying to promote is scandalous and absurd, without any basis whatsoever.”
“We are a democratic country that maintains the rule of law. All prisoners in Israel receive the conditions they are entitled to under the law, under court supervision, and Supreme Court judges, who are not part of the prison system, have even recently visited the prisons where terrorist prisoners are held.”
“These prisoners don’t even want to return to Gaza; they prefer to remain in Israeli prisons. Therefore, the BBC’s false comparison is, in my view, scandalous, and I call on all of you to stop this approach and understand that the horrific massacre on October 7 was the beginning of an assault on the free world, and what we are doing is preventing them from carrying out further terrorist attacks against humanity.”
The President also highlighted the horrific conditions in which the hostages are being held in Gaza. He went on to describe the disturbing reports about hostages who were kept in underground tunnels for months, without food or adequate medical care, suffering from severe physical and emotional trauma.
The President referred to the three hostages, Eli, Ohad, and Or, who returned yesterday, saying: “They were held in tunnels the entire time. They had no contact with the outside world. They barely ate. They returned in a state of complete shock, having suffered enormous amounts of bruises, pain, and injuries, and, of course, we haven’t even spoken about their mental state. We were all shocked and horrified when we saw them emerge from the horrific captivity of Hamas terrorists.”
“I am deeply concerned about the fate of all the others – all seventy six hostages who are still there.”
The President concluded the interview with a call for the immediate return of all hostages, and a call to international partners to support efforts to eradicate terrorism and ensure a future of peace for both Israelis and Palestinians: “We hope and pray that all seventy six hostages will return from Gaza as soon as possible, down to the last one.”
