Former Hostages Commander Rebukes Smotrich Over Credit for Returning Captives

Retired Major General Nitzan Alon, former head of the Israeli Prisoners and Missing Persons Command, sharply criticized Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich for claiming credit for the return of all hostages during a panel at the Herzliya Conference at Reichman University on July 1, 2026. Alon stated that Smotrich opposed some of the prisoner exchange agreements and therefore should not take credit for the full return of hostages. He revealed that about 40 hostages who were abducted alive were killed in captivity, emphasizing that different decisions or negotiations might have saved their lives.

Alon also condemned the political leadership for rejecting comprehensive prisoner deals in the name of "absolute victory," which he called a lie. He argued that partial agreements were chosen to allow the fighting to continue, but the war could have ended much earlier, possibly a day sooner. Alon warned about the dangerous political influence of "hilltop youth" activists who have gained significant government roles, describing a volatile situation in the West Bank involving militias and terror groups operating through proxy means.

He cautioned that this trajectory risks turning Israel into an apartheid state due to the current policies in Judea and Samaria. Alon stressed that while the government has the authority to set and implement policy, it must do so responsibly and not through proxies. His remarks highlight ongoing tensions within Israel’s political and security establishment over the handling of hostages and the broader conflict in the territories.