Livni to Regev family: It was important to close chapter
Foreign Minister visits bereaved families, saying security establishment was divided on deal but 'price is bearable.' Regev's brother claims Nassrallah failed his blackmail attempt
"By doing the right thing, the price we paid for the sons' return is bearable. As far as Israeliness is concerned, it was important to bring them home and close this chapter," Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said Friday while visiting the family of fallen IDF soldier Eldad Regev in their home in Kiryat Motzkin.
Livni met with the bereaved family members and later on left to console the Goldwasser family in Nahariya. Amir Peretz, who served as defense minister during the Second Lebanon War, also came on a private visit to console the bereaved Regev family.
Neighbors, friends and acquaintances also visited the family home, as well as the relatives of fallen IDF soldier Omar Suad, who was kidnapped on Mount Dov in 2000.
Livni, accompanied by Kiryat Motzkin Mayor Haim Zuri, sat at the Regev home for a short while, telling those present that two major questions came up during the discussion on the deal with Hizbullah: The certainty question – removing all doubt as to the condition of the kidnapped soldiers and the question of price from a strategic standpoint.
Livni addressed the issue of the sons’ return, saying that even within the security establishment, opinions were divided between the IDF and Mossad and Shin Bet.
Eldad’s brother, Benny Regev said that the price paid for his brother’s return was high indeed “but one must remember that the one who lowered his demands was Nassrallah.
“We know what his demands were to begin with and what he eventually settled for,” Regev said. He also added that Nassarllah failed in his blackmail attempt “both practically and emotionally.”
