Orna and Ronen Neutra, whose son Omer is held hostage in Gaza said on Monday that they received a cold shoulder from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the four meetings they had with him in the past week, while U.S. President Joe Biden showed warmth when they met with him.
"We've become unwilling diplomats," they told Ynet after speaking about the urgent need for a hostage release deal at the Republican National Convention.
"Everyone agrees now is that time, the conditions are there, the military is in agreement, and the proposed deal must be put into practice," Orna Neutra said. "The hostages are out of time." Her husband added that only one person does not agree, referring to Netanyahu.
"We met the prime minister four times this week. He spoke to us during a conversation with families of hostages, we heard his speech to Congress, we met him with House Speaker Mike Jonson and in the White House with Bide. He gave one message each time he said he was going to bring them back. But those are hollow words," they said. "He did not say he would bring them now or bring them alive. What kind of a commitment is that?"
Omer was born and raised in the States. "He decided to immigrate out of Zionism, and he was the one who ran toward the border fence to stop the terrorists infiltrating Israel. But the prime minister has no interest in bringing the hostages out?
The couple said Biden embraced them and committed to each of the family members of the hostages that he would do all in his power to return their loved one's home. "Compared to the cold shoulder from Netanyahu, in the presence of the president, and without an explicit commitment, we felt he was going to delay a deal like he had done until now," they said.
"We know from day one that Hamas had not budged from its demands. Its position is clear. If you really want to get the hostages out, you have to accept that and act accordingly," Omer's father Ronen said. "If you bring new conditions, we don't have a deal and the hostages have been held there for 10 months already. We conclude that Netanyahu is causing a political delay to preserve his power. He does not care about our son and that is shocking to us."
Are you worried that Israel will begin a war in Lebanon and then the deal will be delayed further?
We are very concerned. The fighting on all fronts has been increasing for 10 months, Ronen said. "We must end this and return the hostages home and then deal with the real challenges that all stem from Iran."
Did you read the report in the Telegraph about clips showing torture of hostages, sent to National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir?
"Yes and I am shocked," Orna said. "Ben-Gvir's conduct goes against all Jewish values. His arrogance is at our expense, ours and the citizens of Israel, the men and women soldiers who are captive. It's just horrifying."
Ronen said Ben-Gvir should remove his skull cap. "Is he even a Jew? I am ashamed of his kippah," he said. "Jewish values according to all the rabbies is to do the right thing now, not to wait. This is a matter of human life. The hostages are dying. And to see images of them being tortured, if that is true, and then appear the tough guy? Its all a show. I look at this persona and to me, he is a clown. I need leaders and I see them in the U.S. and not here."
Orna said that when the couple told Biden about Omer's decision to immigrate and serve in the IDF, he said that sometimes parents raise their children too well.
"I've been thinking the same thing in the past 10 months, but I refuse to accept that he is right, Orna said. "My son did the right thing out of pure love for Israel and the fact that the government and the prime minister don't feel obligated to return him and all of the hostages back home is just incomprehensible."