Bereaved mothers to PM: Stop gambling with Shalit's life
'We who know a thing or two about losing a son, found courage to ask for release of those who planned attacks in order to save Gilad,' letter addressed to prime minister, signed by bereaved mothers including Rona Ramon, Miki Goldwasser says
A group of bereaved mothers sent a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, demanding he do everything to bring captive soldier Gilad Shalit home to his family in Mitzpe Hila.
The women signing the letter, which calls for a meeting with Netanyahu as soon as possible, include Rona Ramon, whose son Asaf died in an F-16 crash in mid September, Miki Goldwasser, mother of Ehud Goldwasser, who was killed in an attack on the northern border in 2006 and whose body was taken hostage by Hezbollah, and Esther Wachsman, mother of Nachshon Wachsman, who was abducted and murdered by Hamas.
"We, the representatives of the public of mothers and women - who know a thing or two about losing a son – ask to meet with you and hear from you when Gilad Shalit's tragic saga will come to an end, so that we will not have to continue our struggle," the mothers wrote.
"Some of us lost many family members in deadly attacks, and we still find the courage to ask for the releases of those who planned those attacks in order to save Gilad. You should also find the determination and the courage, in order to stop gambling with Gilad's life and sanity and have him returned to his family immediately," the letter continues.
The women signed their letter hoping for a response within one week.
Other women who signed the letter include Carmit Ron and Rachel Koren, who each lost a husband and two children in the Matza restaurant suicide bombing in Haifa in 2002, Ora Lefer-Mintz, whose son was the first soldier to die in the second intifada, and Galt Shtayer who lost her family and was seriously wounded in the Maxim restaurant bombing in Haifa in 2003.
Miki Goldwasser explained to Ynet that, "This is an initiative by a segment of mothers that actually encircles all the mothers in Israel. Besides mothers that are hurt or bereaved, there are also those whose children are facing (military) recruitment. What unites us all is first and foremost concern for the state's values and for protecting the safety and security of our children."
She added, "It is the state's duty to bring them home, and they project us, in the home front. I hope that, like our struggle, this struggle is successful."
In response to claims that the public outcry for Shalit's release only raises the price tag for his return, Goldwasser said this is "complete nonsense."
She said that in all previous deals of the same nature, the 'price' was determined by the other side beforehand. "The point here is that there is no firm stance by the government. They are not making a decision."
Over the weekend the headquarters for the release of Gilad Shalit announced that it is ready to "have out voices heard" in order to secure Shalit's release, after a month of relative quiet since Hamas transferred a videotape of the captive soldier.
