Until today, July 16th, 2008, Israel did not have conclusive information regarding the condition of her two soldiers, Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev whose kidnapping by the terrorist organization, Hizbullah, at the northern border of Israel, had led to the second Lebanon War. During the 2 years and 4 days since their capture there were intermittent rumors that they had been 'badly injured' or that one of the two was alive.
For 2 years and 4 days, the enemy played its inhumane game of secrecy regarding the conditions of Eldad and Ehud - allowing their families to hope against hope that they were still alive and could be repatriated. Today- at the time of the exchange- an Arab spokesman took a microphone and announced that 'Goldwasser and Regev have been returned to Israel'. When asked if they were dead or alive the response was as elusive as it has been for the past 2 years and 4 days - something to the effect that 'it would soon be revealed'. This morning, at Rosh Hanikrah in northern Israel, at a prisoner exchange between Israel and Hizbullah, some dared to hope that Eldad and Ehud would be seen alive. It was not to be. Israel announced that two caskets were turned over to the IDF and would be taken for official identification.
Following is my report today as it happened............
"The Israeli news now has the convoy with the bodies of Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev on their final journey to the army camp Shraga. Each casket, covered in the flag of Israel, visible to anyone outside, is carried by members of the IDF; the Kaddish is said, and each casket is gently placed in the center of the military vehicle with IDF escort seated inside.
As the vehicles pass slowly on the road from Rosh Hanikrah, soldiers stand at attention and salute their fallen comrades. Other traffic is at a standstill until the convoy passes.
At the same time, the news flashes to the other side of the border; the welcome for the murderer Kuntar and a few others whose murderous deeds kept them in Israeli prisons for some time. Kuntar, it must be remembered, brutally murdered several people and was sentenced to 4 life terms in prison. This is the criminal for whom a grand celebration has been prepared. A sign above the pink carpet announces, "FREEDOM GUARANTEED BY NASRALLAH".
In Israel the nation weeps with the families who are now on their way - with relatives and friends -in transportation that has been provided for them. We have just seen Karnit Goldwasser enter a vehicle with Ehud's parents. Earlier, we saw Eldad's family leave their home for the 'homecoming' of their loved ones.
Now the convoy has arrived at the military camp Shraga."
The Goldwasser and Regev families are being reunited with their loved ones - finally.
It has just been reported that ' Ehud and Eldad were killed at the time of the kidnapping' . For 2 years and 4 days this information was kept from their anxious families and the family of Israel. Let no one think that our enemy is human; we are dealing with barbarians who prove this repeatedly.
Tomorrow both Eldad and Ehud will be laid to rest in military cemeteries with the full honor that they deserve; their journey has ended. It will be a long journey for their families to recover, if ever, from their trauma.
Israel has released a vicious killer who has vowed to continue his murderous ways. What price is yet to be paid for this action? Gilad Shalit is still in the hands of another terrorist group, Hamas, that has learned from today's event.
It has been a long day - to be followed by another tomorrow. While this is Israel's national trauma it should serve as a stern warning to the rest of the free world..........those who are at war with Israel are cohorts of a much larger group of terrorists that encompasses the planet. Regardless of how close Israel's friends feel to her and sympathize with her living 'in a bad neighborhood' it can be difficult to experience fully what transpires in this small country. This makes it hard for them to understand that what happens here can happen elsewhere; the same destructive forces are at work in other countries.
That is for another article.
Chana
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