Shmuel Ben-Shimon (archive photo)
Reproduction photo
Shalom and Rivka Ben-Shimon
Photo: Hagai Aharon
Bereaved parents: Leaders’ apology won’t help
Parents of man killed during Katyusha attack on Haifa train depot during Lebanon war say they knew Olmert, Peretz and Halutz were not qualified for their jobs
Family members of Shmuel Ben-Shimon, who was killed in the Katyusha rocket attack on a train depot in Haifa during the Second Lebanon War, said the Winograd Commission’s conclusions did not surprise them.
Shmuel’s parents, Rivka and Shalom, said they felt anger and a sense of helplessness upon the report’s release on Monday.
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“From the first moment we knew that (Prime Minister) Ehud Olmert, (Defense Minister) Amir Peretz and (former Chief of Staff) Dan Halutz could not hold their designated positions,” Shalom said.
“The last thing I expected was that a man such as Peretz would be appointed defense minister and that Olmert would become prime minister. They may be suitable for other positions, but not these.”
The bereaved parents said they could not understand Olmert’s refusal to step down. “He said that he accepts (the Winograd report’s conclusions); to accept means to resign,” Rivka said.
“What does Peretz know about security? He should return to the Histadrut (labor union); he’s good at holding strikes.”
Nine months have passed since Shmuel, 41, was killed in the Katyusha attack, but the family’s pain is only increasing.
“When someone dies, his or her family also dies,” Rivka said. “With each day that passes we suffer and die more. We are a family whose entire life has been destroyed.”
As for the future, Rivka said she expected Israel’s leaders to “leave their personal interests aside and do everything in their power to rectify the situation and make sure it doesn’t repeat itself”.
“You ask if I’m waiting for an apology? No apology can justify what they did to our family and others.”
