Israel committed to action for captives, Livni says
Foreign minister says UN secretary-general must be called on to help with kidnapped soldiers' release; states Israel working both covertly and publicly on issue
Israel adopted Resolution 1701 knowing that there was no other way to bring the kidnapped soldiers back home, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said in a speech at the Knesset Tuesday.
Livni spoke at a special Knesset debate marking six months since the United Nation’s approval of Resolution 1701, which established a ceasefire between Israel and Hizbullah. The soldiers' families also attended the session.
"Gilad, Udi and Eldad aren’t here, and that's a fact. Our hearts are with you and our commitment is to bring them home," Livni said, addressing the parents.
Livni stated that alongside covert efforts to have the captives freed, Israel was working to keep the issue on the diplomatic agenda.
"You have the right to demand rigorous action," the foreign minister said, adding that the government and its representatives abroad were presenting the same demands in meetings over the issue.
Livni said the UN secretary-general should be called on to protest the violation of Resolution 1701. She added that this was also a violation of international norms and human rights.
The secretary-general must be urged to take further steps until the captives are freed, she said.
Parents against 'Barghouti bill'
The parents of Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser urged lawmakers at the Knesset Tuesday to vote against a bill calling to tighten conditions for the release of security prisoners sentenced to life for terrorism.
The two IDF soldiers were kidnapped by Hizbullah in a cross border attack this summer, and negotiation efforts have been ongoing to secure their release.
Proposed by MK Limor Livnat (Likud), the bill calls for any prisoner exchange to be predicated on the approval of at least 80 Knesset members.
Parents of kidnapped soldiers meet with MKs (Photo: Gil Yochanan)
“Livnat’s proposed law raises fears that the decision-makers’ hands will be tied the moment they reach the stage of making a final deal,” Shlomo Goldwasser said.
The bill was apparently intended to prevent the release of jailed Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti.
Eldad Regev’s father said that when he met Livnat, he would ask her if she would behave differently if it was her son being held hostage by Hizbullah.
Livnat: Don't legitimize kidnappings
MK Livnat said she would not cancel her proposal but planned to meet with the soldiers’ parents Tuesday hoping to ease their opposition to it.
“It’s clear the families are acting out of great pain, which I and everyone understand. But I don’t plan to withdraw my bill. The proposal doesn’t intend to hurt anyone and certainly doesn’t intend to disrupt efforts to bring the boys home,” Livnat said.
However, Livnat asserted, security prisoners should not be easily released because statistics showed that many former detainees returned to perpetrate terror attacks after being freed from prison.
Moreover, “The release of terrorists legitimizes additional kidnappings, and we cannot have a hand in that. However, it’s important for me to clarify that my proposal doesn’t prevent prisoner exchanges – it only toughens the release of prisoners sentenced to life in prison for murder.”
