Thousands Gather in Jerusalem at Funeral for American Hersh Goldberg-Polin

On Monday morning as the United States celebrates Labor Day, thousands have gathered in Jerusalem to pay their respects at the funeral for American-Israeli, Hersh Goldberg-Polin. Hersh became well known as one of the hostages held by Hamas for almost a year after being kidnapped at the Nova festival on Oct. 7th, where he survived grenades being thrown in a bomb shelter where he and several others hid. Harrowing videos showed his arm blown off and him being taken away on a truck by Hamas terrorists. His parents, Jon and Rachel, have been outspoken advocates for the hostages and recently spoke at the DNC.

Hersh and six others were tragically executed by Hamas days ago as the IDF troops drew near their location.

Thousands of people are gathering at the cemetery where Hersh Goldberg-Polin will be laid to rest. pic.twitter.com/9VGY1q0F8k
— Aviva Klompas (@AvivaKlompas) September 2, 2024

At the funeral, Israeli President Isaac Herzog gave an emotional speech where he apologized that they could not save Hersh.

President Herzog's remarks at the funeral of Hersh Goldberg-Polin:

Beloved Hersh, with a torn and broken heart, I stand here today as the President of the State of Israel, bidding you farewell and asking for your forgiveness, from you, and from Carmel, from Eden, from Almog,… pic.twitter.com/SYEIQXd4x8
— Aviva Klompas (@AvivaKlompas) September 2, 2024

Jon spoke of his son's knowledge and intellect and how, from a young age, he pondered social justice issues and advocated for others. Rachel spoke of the heartache it had been over the last eleven months and how they had been hopeful he would return home alive.

Hersh's mom: "For all these months, I have been in such torment and worry about you for every single millisecond of every single day. It is such a specific type of misery that I had never experienced before.

I tried hard to suppress the missing you part because that, I was… pic.twitter.com/8wc2REUEqL
— Aviva Klompas (@AvivaKlompas) September 2, 2024

Rachel Goldberg-Polin: We became absolutely certain that you were coming home alive. But it was not to be...How do we live the rest of our lives without you? I pray that your death will be a turning point in this horrible situation we are in. pic.twitter.com/EiEJcrFjLo
— Aviva Klompas (@AvivaKlompas) September 2, 2024

The funeral follows mass protests and an economic strike in the country over the deaths of the hostages. Israelis are desperate to see the hostages come home and many want to see a deal at any cost. Even though Hamas has actually agreed to no deal other than complete surrender by the IDF and essentially a return to Oct. 6, some in the Israeli public and in the hostage families believe that the government is thwarting a viable deal.

The prominent voice for the hostage families, The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, known for their slogan "Bring Them Home Now", has become increasingly anti-Netanyahu, but many Israelis have a more balanced understanding of the situation.

I can understand protesting, but I don't quite get the Histadrut general strike tomorrow over the six hostages being murdered. I'm not seeing any specific, tangible demands from the unions.

They're saying to stop the abandonment of the hostages. Does that mean shutting down the…
— Lahav Harkov 🎗️ (@LahavHarkov) September 1, 2024

I can understand protesting, but I don't quite get the Histadrut general strike tomorrow over the six hostages being murdered. I'm not seeing any specific, tangible demands from the unions.
They're saying to stop the abandonment of the hostages. Does that mean shutting down the country until there's a deal? Or until Netanyahu says he'll concede more?
Hamas is the one holding people hostage and murdering them. Just because Netanyahu says he'll concede, sadly, doesn't mean there will be a deal. And striking until there is actually a deal doesn't really make sense, either, because they're not punishing Hamas at all - they're punishing Netanyahu by creating pressure on him, and over time it'll be Israelis who will be punished by the Histadrut tanking the economy.

Meanwhile, Hamas has cruelly threatened to release a video of the hostages taken before their deaths, Biden has once again thrown Netanyahu under the bus, and at the same time is talking of a "final" proposal to Hamas. What is left to be said is what would happen if they reject it, like all the others. Once again, there are no actions behind words.