Karnit Goldwasser: How could PM declare captives dead?
Wife of kidnapped IDF soldier amazed to hear Olmert informed cabinet ministers troops are probably no longer alive. 'All we ask for is an end to this affair,' she says
Goldwasser expressed her satisfaction with Prime Minister's Ehud Olmert's plan to support the move, but was amazed to hear from Ynet reporters that Olmert said he was certain Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev were dead.
Karnit Goldwasser, who was sitting on the pavement opposite the Prime Minister's Office together with her father, said in response to Olmert's remarks, "After rambling on here, including remarks which should not be said with such certainty, as if they were killed in action, the prime minister says he recommends the deal be approved.
"This is the right direction, but why do we have to learn about it from reporters? If Olmert is in favor of the decision, this is the right direction. Nonetheless, I am surprised by his certainty that they are dead. So far, we have been informed that there is no concrete information."
"I don’t wish to grade Olmert's performance. I heard what he said at the start of the meeting and went over the things included in his statement to the ministers. There is no doubt he arrived prepared, but prepared is also trying to understand what the people are asking for and what will happen to us as a society if we don’t bring the people home.
"Udi is not a product on the shelf of a grocery store, and all we ask for is for an end to this affair. There are people behind all this."
Ehud Goldwasser's father Shlomo said he was surprised to hear the prime minister expressing his certainty that his son and Eldad Regev were dead.
"It's nothing new that Udi and Eldad's chances of being alive are small. There were such rumors since the moment they were kidnapped. But between chances and estimates, this looks like a casino to me," he added.
Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser have been held captive by Hizbullah for 718 days.
