Families of missing Israeli soldiers ask for support
Community members crowded into the Shaarei Shomayim Congregation on Nov. 21 to listen to family members of missing Israeli soldiers Ehud (Udi) Goldwasser and Eldad Regev speak about the search for the two men.
Goldwasser and Regev were kidnapped by Hezbollah on July 12, 2006. Since then there has been no word of where they are, how they are doing, or if they are alive. A third soldier, Gilad Shalit, was abducted by Hamas on June 25, 2006.
At the event “Remember Israel’s MIAs,” Zvi Regev, Eldad’s father, said countries other than Israel must speak up for there to be a chance for the soldiers to be freed.
“We ask all the countries in the world to help us get a sign of life from them, and then afterwards, to release them as soon as possible,” he said, speaking in Hebrew.
Karnit Goldwasser, Ehud’s wife, spoke in an emotional video message about what it is like not having him by her side.
“When I wake up in the morning, there is no one there to say good morning,” she said. “When I am choosing what to wear, there are his clothes, just waiting for him. When I go to sleep, I sleep alone. This is for me the worst time of my life.”
Also there to speak was Israeli Consul General Amir Gissin, Ehud’s father Shlomo Goldwasser, his father-in-law, Omir Avni, and representatives from Hillel and Red Cross. There were also performances by the Renanim Youth Singers.
Shlomo also spoke about the aftermath of his son’s capture.
“In that second when I saw and understood that my son was kidnapped, I understood also that my life was changed. Udi was kidnapped on July 12, 2006. My wife and I arrived [back in] Israel on July 14 and since then, we have been on one journey to bring our son back,” he said.
“Udi, Gilad and Eldad are not criminals - they did no crimes. The only crime that they did for these people was that they were free.”
He also spoke about the injustice of how the three men are being treated, saying they are being denied basic human rights.
“Udi, Eldad and Gilad were kidnapped 15 months ago, chained, locked up and isolated from the outside world. [There has beem] no information given to the families, to anyone. Red Cross is not allowed to visit them. In other words, they were stripped of all human rights and locked up. The message we are bringing to anyone we meet with is that this situation is not acceptable. And the free world must not accept it,” Shlomo said.
Each speaker took time to praise the Jewish community and the Canadian government for their support.
“I would like to commend this wonderful community of Toronto for being with Israel at its difficult times,” Gissin said.
“We commend our federal government for its diligent and persistent efforts to free Israel’s captives, and for its vocal support of Israel,” said Richard Diamond, emcee for the event.
Diamond’s comment came just one day after Anita Neville, MP for the Winnipeg South Centre riding, said the Canadian government is not doing enough to ensure the release of the soldiers.
“If the attempts [to release the soldiers] were adequate, they would have been released by now,” she said. “Countries like Canada…need to speak out…As time passes, the issue fades. It is incumbent upon us to keep it visible.”