Sister of kidnapped Israeli Middle East analyst holds out hope for her release from Iraq
After nearly two years of her sister being held captive in Iraq, Emma Tsurkov hopes that a Trump presidency could lead to a breakthrough in the stalled efforts to secure her release.
In March of 2023, Elizabeth Tsurkov, an Israeli Middle East analyst with dual Israeli-Russian citizenship, flew to Iraq using her Russian passport but went missing. It was later revealed that Tsurkov had been kidnapped by the Iran-linked Shiite militia Kataib Hezbollah.
Israel's lack of diplomatic relations with Iraq, combined with the fact that the researcher traveled there independently, has made it challenging for Israeli officials to exert any leverage to secure her return home. This difficulty was exacerbated by the fact that the terror group holding her captive is part of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), a coalition of militias funded and supported by the Iraqi government, despite being classed as a terrorist organization in the United States and other countries.
"People hear 'Kataib Hezbollah' and envision some insular terrorist group hiding somewhere in the mountains, but that’s not the case at all. They’re actually part of the Iraqi Security Forces,” Emma explained in an interview with Ynet News.
“Many members of Kataib Hezbollah are Iraqi government employees. They’re on the payroll, getting money and arms from the Iraqi government. The Iraqi government, in turn, gets hundreds of millions of dollars in military assistance every year from the U.S. government," she added.
The taxes she pays living in California, she explains "are used to pay the salaries of the people holding my sister. And it’s just maddening. We’re suckers. We hand over this money and demand no accountability, which is absurd to me, and it just really frustrates me to no end."
Elizabeth (38) and Emma (36) were born in St. Petersburg, Russia, before the family immigrated to Israel, settling in Kfar Eldad in 1991, when the girls were four and two years old, respectively.
Elizabeth studied at Hebrew University in Jerusalem for her bachelor's degree before going on to earn her master's in Middle Eastern History at Tel Aviv University. She worked for various human rights organizations and NGOs in the region for over a decade, including for the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), and was conducting research towards a PhD at Princeton University in the United States when she was kidnapped.
Now her sister, Emma, is hoping that with a new Trump administration, there may be a better chance of bringing Elizabeth back to Israel.
"I’m elated for the families who get to see their loved ones come back,” she said, speaking of the hostages who have been released from Gaza. “I envy them so, so much – just imagining the excitement on their faces standing on the tarmac makes my heart feel like it could explode. I’m thrilled for them, but it’s also deeply painful because I want so badly to see my sister again.”
Like her sister, Emma is also involved in U.S. non-profit work, receiving a salary from the Anti-Defamation League. She believes the U.S. is in the best position to negotiate for her sister’s release.
“The U.S. government is the party with the strongest ties and ability to influence the kidnappers, and therefore the greatest power to secure my sister's release. This is both because of her ties to the U.S. – she was kidnapped while conducting research funded by Princeton University – and because she is a New Jersey resident.”
Speaking about her frustration with the Biden administration’s lack of action, she said, “There just hasn’t been a willingness to actually hold the Iraqi government accountable. What I want to see – while I do appreciate the kindness and empathy – is my sister back at the end of the day."
She said she plans to go to Capitol Hill shortly after President-elect Donald Trump takes office to "speak to anyone willing to listen and help move things forward."
Incoming White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt said, "The American people reelected President Trump because they trust him to restore stability and peace to the Middle East. When he returns to the White House, he will take the necessary steps to achieve exactly that."
Tsurkov has been encouraged by the release of some of the Israeli hostages.
“Even in the bitterest rivalries, agreements can happen. The deal with Hamas that brought Israelis and other nationals home gives me hope that these deals are possible. Let’s be clear: this is how hostages come home," she said.
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Jo Elizabeth has a great interest in politics and cultural developments, studying Social Policy for her first degree and gaining a Masters in Jewish Philosophy from Haifa University, but she loves to write about the Bible and its primary subject, the God of Israel. As a writer, Jo spends her time between the UK and Jerusalem, Israel.
