Personal Testimony on Political Engagement

First of all, it’s a pleasure to meet you.

What’s your name?

I’m Noam Latz,

This morning, I got back

from a big ten- month trip.

I truly want to tell you something from the bottom of my heart.

After the fighting on the seventh,

my team and I lost five people

in the battles, uh,

the defensive battles

at Kissufim and Re’im.

My partner,

I lost him, I saw it with

my own eyes, and I was very

confused after this whole story.

I had to think and understand

what was going on with me,

and I started looking into what,

what the reason was, what it was. And I found you.

I found you, read about you, listened to dozens of podcasts.

Everything you posted made me decide

to return from my trip just for you.

Today, ten friends and I are voting

for Zehut because of you, I mean,

because of me and the things you said.

And I got back this morning.

Today, today, I got off

40 hours of flights from a

very remote place just to vote.

It’s important to me to tell you that.

Uh, we believe in you. Don’t disappoint us.

Listen, uh, what you’re

saying may be the most moving

things

That I heard today, and I heard many things today,

including bereaved teachers, including

everything. But I returned to politics

on October seventh

for you,

so you won't have to do this

again for nothing at all.

That's how I feel.

Because you, because they took you for a ride.

They sent you to a war under false pretenses, you and

my grandson, who was killed there too,

so that— so that— so that after

two years of war with

nearly a thousand dead,

they would establish for Hamas

a state and send there every day,

including today, 700 supply trucks.

So I'm there

for you, for your friends,

and for the young people so they won't have to

enter another such deceiving round again. And,

what you said, let me hug you.

You really don't understand how moved I am.

I ran here from home when I saw you.