Kidnapped troops' families to meet with PM

Olmert to meet Thursday with families of kidnapped soldiers, who claim he broke his word Lebanon blockade will not be lifted until Israel receives new information regarding their sons

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will meet on Thursday in Tel Aviv with the families of kidnapped soldiers Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser, and try to provide answers for the tough questions raised by the troops' parents following Israel's decision to lift the blockade on Lebanon.

End to Blockade

Israel to lift Lebanon blockade Thursday evening / Ronny Sofer

UN secretary-general, US secretary of state inform PM Olmert that multinational force in Lebanon ready to take over monitoring of Lebanon's air, sea ports. Consequently, Israel announces will withdraw its forces on Thursday at 6 p.m.
Full Story

Since the decision to lift the blockade was first published Wednesday evening, anger has been building up among the families, who are infuriated over the government's conduct. They claim that they were given a promise by the PM that the blockade will not be lifted until a sign of life is received from their sons.

The Regev and Goldwasser families initially hoped that the decision to withdraw IDF forces from Lebanon was in some way linked to new information on their sons' fate, but after no word was received from government representatives, they realized that Israel has given up its last means to pressure Lebanon and Hizbullah on the matter.

read more

Rally for kidnapped troops: Don't abandon them

some 40,000 people gather in Rabin Square in Tel Aviv for rally of solidarity with kidnapped soldiers. Participants call on gov't, international community to do whatever in their power to bring to captives' release

Fifty days after Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev were kidnapped by the Hizbullah and 68 days after Gilad Shalit was kidnapped by Hamas, some 40,000 people assemble at the Rabin Square in Tel Aviv for a rally calling on the government to bring to the kidnapped soldiers' release.

The captives' families as well as one of Ron Arad's friends went onstage during the rally dubbed "Sons Shall Be Returned to Their Borders." Short documentaries about the lives of the three captives were screened and artists performed quiet songs. Rami Kleinstein will perform a song he composed especially for the event (the song is called "It Isn't Over").

"Something needs to be done, and the government and the states of the world have to realize this. It's very exciting to see everybody. I hope that next time we meet here, we'll be celebrating their return," he added.