Hostage's father calls for Netanyahu to seek forgiveness from victims ahead of Yom Kippur

Danino spoke about his book 'Hashem Ori', which he wrote in memory of his son, and described how the idea of putting his memories into writing took shape.

Rabbi Elchanan Danino, father of slain hostage Ori Danino, called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday to seek forgiveness from those killed, saying ahead of Yom Kippur that remorse must precede any request for forgiveness in an interview with 103FM.

Danino spoke about his book Hashem Ori, which he wrote in memory of his son, and described how the idea of putting his memories into writing took shape.

“I wrote down a few chapters for myself, not in order to write a book, but so that information would not disappear from my memory,” Danino said of the beginning of the writing process. “The idea took shape through the team at Kinneret Zmora Dvir, who met me at Ono Academic College during one of the lectures I gave, and that was where they began convincing me to write a book.”

According to Danino, memories and details that had been pushed aside gradually began resurfacing.

“Thank God, it came together. Slowly, I began bringing out everything I remembered and putting it down in writing. I discovered that in our memory, we try to hide many things in very concealed places, especially when they concern what is most precious to us, our children. Each time, I would remember something else. These were very significant things, such as updates, conversations I had, and many other things. I was surprised that they had been pushed into one place or another, but slowly they rise back to the surface.”

Killed hostage's father remembers his son

Danino also spoke about his son’s character.

“From a very young age, we noticed that Ori saw other people,” he said. “He would rush to help others before taking care of himself. That was his most blessed quality.”

Danino later addressed Netanyahu ahead of Yom Kippur, saying the prime minister must “go to the cemeteries and ask each one for forgiveness.”

“The military cemeteries, the civilian cemeteries, the kibbutz cemeteries, wherever all the young men and women of the people of Israel who were massacred and burned are buried. We have no authority whatsoever to grant forgiveness on their behalf.”

Forgiveness is not enough for Netanyahu

He also stressed that forgiveness would not be enough, and Netanyahu must first express remorse.

”Anyone who does not regret his actions has no forgiveness and no absolution. The lives of our sons and daughters were taken,” he continued. “I have no authority whatsoever to ask forgiveness or absolution for my son’s blood. My son was already a man in his own right, a person in his own right. I do not expect anything. I know the man, and I have no expectations,” he said.

“Of course, it is impossible to forgive. There is no forgiveness, there is no absolution. You can forgive small mistakes, not mistakes made over almost two decades whose consequences have been disastrous. Anyone who does not take responsibility for his actions does not take responsibility in daily life for managing our lives, our health, and our security.”