Army To Consider Declaring Goldwasser & Regev Killed In Action, Place Of Burial Unknown

Karnit Goldwasser whose husband Udi together with Eldad Regev were abducted by Hizbullah two years ago,  lashed out at a decision to declare that the two reservists were killed in action and their place of burial unknown,.

A statement released by the army said the IDF Chief  Rabbi Avichai Ronsky has begun proceedings relating to the fate of the two reservists and all the information has been handed over to Ronsky for review. 

Goldwasser said the families would consider filing a petition in the High Court of Justice over the decision, and declared the families rejected intentions to declare her husband and Eldad dead. 

It is unclear whether the latest development points to a fact that a deal with Hizbullah that was reportedly making progress, has fallen through, particularly after Hizbullah on Sunday reneged on its intentions to pursue a prisoner exchange and has demanded that Israel release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Regev and Goldwasser, a demand that Israel until now has refused to accept. 

Speaking to the media, Goldwasser said she was astounded at the decision, particularly the fact that it was reported in the media before the families were officially informed. “We have spent a long arduous day in the Knesset, meeting with ministers and Knesset members trying to persuade them to support a deal with Hizbullah. It is a disgraceful day for the State of Israel, I though we had experienced everything with Nasrallah, but it appears we haven’t.’’  

Goldwasser said the fact that the families were forced to spend the entire day on Monday trying to persuade people to support a deal with Hizbullah was a horrible feeling. “We call on the Prime Minister to bring the deal on his table before the cabinet and not take any decisions on his own,” she said. “We don’t want to lose Udi and Eldad, we don’t want the situation to turn into another story like Ron Arad,”said Goldwasser referring to the IAF navigator that who was captured over 21 years ago by Amal in Lebanon.

 In December 2006, an IDF medical report regarding the conditions of the two reservists estimated that they were seriously wounded when captured, and that one of the reservists was critically wounded in the July 12 abduction.

Since their abduction, Hizbullah has refused to reveal any details of the conditions of the two soldiers, including proof that they are alive. At the time the IDF released a statement saying the army was working on the assumption that both reservists are still alive.06/23/08

Margot Dudkevitch