Eldad Regev
Reproduction photo: Hagai Aharon
Ehud Goldwasser
Photo: Reuters
Kidnapped soldier's father: We demand answers
Parents of kidnapped soldiers surprised to hear Israel will lift Lebanon blockade, say PM promised them blockade won't be lifted until life sign from troops is received
The families of kidnapped soldiers Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser received the news of Israel's decision to lift the sea and air blockade on Lebanon with mixed emotions. They hope that Israel's decision hints to the possibility that Israel has been given a life sign from their sons.
On the other hand, the families are worried that the lifting of the blockade means that Israel has lost its last mean to exert pressure on Hizbullah and Lebanon and obtain information on the captives.
Lebanon Blockade
Ronny Sofer
UN secretary-general, US secretary of state inform PM Olmert that multinational force in Lebanon ready to take over monitoring of Lebanon's air, sea ports. Consequently, Israel announces will withdraw its forces on Thursday at 6 p.m.
Shlomo Goldwasser, Ehud's father, said Wednesday night: "We want answers. We want to understand what's going on here. The prime minister said several weeks ago that he regards the kidnap affairs as though these were his own sons. We are not really sure that this is how he acts, or feels."
"Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said last week that the blockade will not be lifted until we get a life sign from the sons. So what happened? We are not aware of any life sign received. As far as we know, the government has received no such sign, and the State's representative in the negotiations has been avoiding us," he added.
The family members have requested a meeting with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Sunday. British Prime Minister Tony Blair is also set to arrive in Jerusalem on the same day, and the families say that while they have already succeeded in setting up an appointment with the UK leader, Olmert has yet to respond to their request.
'Israel can't abandon troops'
Shmulik Algrabli, who represents the soldiers' families, told Ynet: "At the moment, the families are in contact with the prime minister, the foreign minister and everyone else, in a bid to try and understand why it has been decided to lift the blockade, despite the prime minister's moral obligation to the families." Algrabli added that the commitment not to lift the blockade was due in part to the concern that the kidnapped troops will be smuggled out of Lebanon."The families are now trying to find out whether this decision is a good omen, which indicates that new information has been received. If not, this is a worrying sign," he stated.
Sources close to the troops' families said Wednesday evening that Israel was gradually ceding all the conditions it has placed before the ceasefire went into force. "These soldiers cannot be abandoned," they said.
