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By Vered Weiss, World Israel News
Thomas Hand, Irish-born father of freed hostage 9-year-old Emily Hand called out critics of Israel who claim the country is an ‘apartheid state.’
“Has anyone of you come to see apartheid in this country? It doesn’t exist, you idiots!” Thomas Hand exclaimed.
Thomas Hand, father of 9-year-old Emily Hand who endured nearly 2 months in #Hamas captivity in #Gaza after being kidnapped from a sleepover, has a message to those who denounce #Israel: pic.twitter.com/hDPGMX5FP4
— StandWithUs (@StandWithUs) January 18, 2024
He added, “Come look at all the roadsides, it’s in Hebrew, it’s in Arabic, and it’s in English. If it were apartheid, you wouldn’t do that.”
Thomas Hand continued, “They don’t know a thing, we’re living it, we have been living it for 30 years.”
“You have no idea; you have no right to even speak to me. Have you been to Israel? Ever?”
Regarding the antisemitic chant “From the River to the Sea” heard at many Pro-Palestine rallies, Thomas Hand said, “You don’t know what river, you don’t know your history, you don’t know your geography.”
The slogan, “From the River to the Sea” indicates there should be Palestinian sovereignty between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, which would in actuality wipe out the existence of the State of Israel.
Thomas Hand was being interviewed by Piers Morgan on Piers Morgan Uncensored with his daughter Emily next to him who Thomas said didn’t understand the interview because it was in English and she spoke only Hebrew.
“You’re all chanting ‘From The River To The Sea’ – you don’t know what river!”
Thomas Hand, whose daughter was held captive by Hamas for 50 days, reacts passionately to those who say Israel’s response has been disproportionate.@piersmorgan | @TalkTV | #PMU pic.twitter.com/UI3WNfClN7
— Piers Morgan Uncensored (@PiersUncensored) January 15, 2024
At one point in the interview, when it was announced that Yossi Sharabi, 53, and Itai Svirsky, 38 were killed in captivity, Emily Hand comforted her father.
In the video, hostage Noa Aragami, presumably under compulsion from her captors, said that the two men were killed by Israeli airstrikes, but Hamas has forced captives to make false statements before.
Emily Hand was released in late November after 50 days of captivity.
Initially, Thomas Hand was told that his daughter had been killed on October 7th and he expressed relief that she was dead rather than a captive in Gaza.
“She was either dead or in Gaza. And if you know anything about what they do to people in Gaza, that is worse than death,” Hand said.
However, when it was confirmed that she was alive and a captive in Gaza and ultimately was released back to Israel, photos circulated on social media of the father and daughter tearfully embracing.
