Pressure group discussions
Pressure group established for return of IDF soldiers
Speaking at the first talks of the new lobby group, Oron Shaul's mother tells MKs 'I am demanding, not asking, that you act. It's unthinkable that we don't know what his situation is.'
Zehava Shaul—the mother of Oron Shaul, whose body was abducted by Hamas after he was killed during Operation Protective Edge—participated Wednesday in discussions marking the establishment of a pressure group led by MKs Amir Peretz (Zionist Union) and Shuli Moalem (Bayit Yehudi) to expedite the return of soldiers abducted during the operation.
Simcha Goldin, whose son Hadar was also abducted after being killed in the Gaza war, also participated in the discussion.
Hadar Goldin (L) and Oron Shaul
“I am demanding, not asking. I am demanding: stand up and act. It is unthinkable that after two-and-a-half years we don’t know what his situation is,” Zehava lamented. “Is he alive? wounded? Does he eat well? Does he sleep well? I don’t know. One thing I do know is that I don’t sleep at night. I do not know how much longer i can take this.”
Zehava urged the state to take steps to bring Goldin and her son back to Israel, saying that if it failed to do so she did not know when she would next see them.
Pressure group discussions (Photo: Ezra Gabai)
Her late husband, Herzl, she continued, believed in the prime minister and the defense minister to bring about their release from captivity. “I told him that they were fooling us. When he was lying down in the house before he died he said to me ‘you were right. They fooled us.’”
Simcha Goldin also delivered a statement before the MKs and attendants. “I am proud to be in the legislative house of the state. The time has come for the Knesset to join the struggle,” he declared, telling the MKs that both civilians and enemies are listening.
Zehava Shaul (Photo: Elad Gershgoren)
“Words are the beginning. This will lead to action and action will lead to decision. We don’t need strengthening. We asked to establish the pressure group in order to strengthen you. The statement that the government is doing everything in order to return our sons is an empty statement,” Simcha claimed.
“Just yesterday, MK Ahmad Tibi (Joint List) spoke about the importance of bringing fallen soldiers to their graves. Does that apply to Muslims only?,” he asked.
Simcha Goldin (Photo: Ido Erez)
“It is a crime and a sin to hold on to soldiers and not bring them for burial. The soldiers of the future must know that they will not be left behind.”
Arriving late to the discussions, Knesset Chairman Yuli Edelstein (Likud) said that typical declarations such as “We will do all within our capabilities” must be avoided. “If we don’t say anything we will avoid empty statements altogether.”
Bayit Yehudi Leader Naftali Bennett also spoke during the talks. “In 2014, I participated in the security cabinet and raised my hand in favor of sending Hadar and Oron, together with thousands of other soldiers, to the line of fire,” Bennett said before stating that the war only ends “when Hadar and Oron come home.”
Turning to the parents themselves, Bennett lauded them for what he described as their brave decision.
“You could have requested that terrorists are released in order to bring about the return of the boys but you chose the hard way. You opposed the release of terrorists and asked that the state pressure organizations to release the boys. Precisely because of this we are even more obligated... We will not rest until (the boys are brought home,” he promised.
A number of other people spoke at the discussions, including, inter alia, Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked (Bayit Yehudi), leader of the opposition and the Zionist Union Isaac Herzog, and other members of the Goldin family.
