James Messerschmidt
“Heartbreaking” is only part of the takeaway from Tuesday’s memorial service for Omer Neutra, because the rest of us must also honor his survivors’ deep strength and pride.
Hamas terrorists took the Israeli-American soldier on Oct. 7, 2023 — took him hostage, the world believed, only to learn Monday that they took his life that day.
His parents, Orna and Ronen, worked tirelessly for his release, and that of all the hostages, staying firm in hope for 432 days.
“We envisioned images of our reunion focusing on doing, on our fight for your release and for some clarity in the face of the unknown,” Orna recalled Tuesday. “And now things are clear, but not as we hoped.”
“How do you speak about your son that you’ve been fighting for for 14 months, hoping, praying, he survives the most horrible conditions on Earth, and yet you will get to see him?” asked Ronen.
“And then one moment, one knock on the door, and it’s all over.”
Yet the pride lives, in Omer’s son’s decision to defer acceptance to Binghamton University to join the IDF, and in his unit’s decision to confront the terrorists that day: “On Oct. 7, they were the first responders to rush the border breach, . . . not knowing what they were about to face,” recalled Ronen.
“He rushed with his team to protect the border with their tanks, with their bodies.”
Witnesses say “Omer gave brave, mature commands to the other tank that he was commanding and to the Golani troops and split them apart,” the dad said. “It saved their lives. Omer, you are a hero.”
For 14 months they (and Omer’s brother Daniel) waited in agony for any news, buoyed by support from across the globe — even as they strove for his release.
“At least when I have to explain to my children and grandchildren who Omer was, I will have thousands of interviews, articles and documentaries to reference,” Daniel told the crowd.
And they’re not done: The family called on supporters to keep up the fight to save the remaining hostages and also bring home the bodies of Omer and the others..
“Every march, every rally, every trip to Washington or Jerusalem to fight for Omer’s rescue, it’s all too late for him. But it was not in vain,” Daniel said.
“The greatest honor we can give to him is to rescue the people he gave his life to protect, and must continue his life’s work and keep serving life.”
That work will continue — and succeed.
Cue President-elect Donald Trump’svow Monday, just hours after news broke of Omer’s fate: “If the hostages are not released” before he takes office Jan. 20, “there will be ALL HELL TO PAY in the Middle East, and for those in charge who perpetrated these atrocities against Humanity.”
More: “Those responsible will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied History of the United States of America. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW!”
Amen.