In a scene that reflects the escalation of anxiety within Israeli society about the continued fighting in southern Lebanon, the father of an Israeli soldier sparked a wide wave of reaction after he spoke emotionally about his fear for his son who is fighting on the Lebanese front, considering that the soldiers are “paying the price for political decisions” that the Israeli street does not understand.
According to what was reported by Israeli Radio 103FM, during a program by broadcaster Guy Peleg, the father, whose son is serving as a fighter in Lebanon, said: “My son is there and I am going crazy with fear… I cannot sleep at night. Our children have become targets in a shooting range.”
The father added in an emotional voice: “My son is a combat soldier in Lebanon, and the soldiers there are in the line of fire. This is devastating me. There is no more difficult situation than being the father of a soldier in Lebanon.”
The Israeli broadcaster responded, saying: “This is terrifying, and I agree with you. There is no feeling more difficult than that of the families of the soldiers who are now in Lebanon. It is fear and deadly helplessness.”
During the call, the father expressed his anger at the political and military decisions that kept the forces inside Lebanese territory, saying: “We are not fighting because Al-Ashqar (Trump) told Netanyahu not to fight now… Then get my son out of there for me.”
Referring to US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli father continued with emotion: “Who are the fuel for this war? Our children? My son went to fight for defense, not to be a duck in a shooting range for Trump or Netanyahu.”
The father revealed that his son was able to join the “8200” intelligence unit because of his superiority and ability to speak 4 languages, but he insisted on combat service “like his friends from the national religious movement,” despite his family’s attempts to prevent him.
He said: “I begged him to go to 8200. I told him that you are a genius child, but he refused and said that he only wanted combat service.”
The father added: “Serving in 8,200 missions, but at least it is a service during which I can sleep at night.”
The caller also criticized the state of “insensitivity” within Israeli society towards the fall of soldiers, after the broadcaster pointed out that some Israeli newspapers devoted their main pages to talking about Israel’s participation in “Eurovision,” while news of the dead soldiers relegated to the bottom of the pages.
Broadcaster Guy Peleg said to the father: “I want to hug you because of what you said just now… These are families that are collapsing and people no longer understand the extent of the disaster. We have become insensitive to this matter.”
At the end of the call, the father revealed that his son sent him a short message from inside the fighting in which he wrote: “Dad, there is no need to worry,” before adding: “But I completely reject my son being an easy target there. If you do not want to fight, get them out of Lebanon.”
