Peres: Decision makers thought of principles

Peres makes condolence call to Regev, Goldwasser homes, says bringing Schalit home "won't be easy."

By JPOST.COM STAFF
miki goldwasser 224.88 (photo credit: Channel 10)
miki goldwasser 224.88
(photo credit: Channel 10)
"On the other side there are people whose God is the god of terror; it is not our God, not our values," President Shimon Peres said Thursday during a condolence call at the Goldwasser household. "Decision makers had principles in mind - not prices - when the prisoner swap deal with Hizbullah was cemented," he was quoted by Army Radio as saying. Referring to the possibility that Israel would release prisoners "with blood on their hands" in exchange for kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Schalit, Peres, who also paid a shiva call at the Regev home, said, "Truly, it won't be easy, but we have done it in the past because we want all of our sons and daughters home, alive or dead." Also Thursday, Defense Minister Ehud Barak spoke at Eldad Regev's funeral, saying that "Israel will always act for the return of our soldiers; alive, wounded or dead." "We will do everything reasonable that is possible, this is the covenant between the IDF and the Israeli people. "To our enemies I say: we desire peace but won't be deterred from the fight against cruel terror," he stressed. Barak said Regev was a "young and impressive man," and spoke of devotion to performing his IDF reserve duty, as well as his love for soccer and his seriousness over his university and yeshiva studies. "We all dreamed about embracing them [the captured reservists] after two sad years," he said. "This is not the way we wanted to welcome you when we prayed: Thy children shall come again to their own border [Jeremiah 31:17]." Chief Sephardi Rabbi Shlomo Amar said, "The virtue of Eldad, may he rest in peace, is made even greater after he has given his very life over the holiness of God. "It is a burning pain over the loss of a dear person, who went in innocence and a pure heart to protect his nation and motherland, but it is also painful to know that on this Earth there are people who have lost their divine image, and who are capable of things which the imagination of a man who still has human form could not think up." Earlier in the day, family, friends, Israeli officials, and other well-wishers, attended the emotional funeral ceremony of Ehud Goldwasser, the other reservist who was captured by Hizbullah two years ago. "On the twelfth of July, at nine hours and six minutes, time stopped," Karnit Goldwasser, the widow of Ehud Goldwasser said during his funeral. "A journey began for you and me - for us, the family, and for the entire country. Now you and I move on to the next journey, the journey of my life. You will be a full partner in it, you will continue to be my inner voice, eternally young, accompanying me throughout my life. It will be lived without you, but forever you will be there. "My love, they say that time heals and covers wounds. Is that so? Two years have passed since that one moment when, with a wave of a knife, the artery of our life together was cut," Karnit continued. "That moment, the worst of all [moments], was turned into a horrible reality; a reality which sunk us all into a dark and complicated world." "Please forgive me, my darling husband, for not [talking about] your many virtues here, those which accompanied me every step of the way during the struggle for your return. This isn't the place to do that," she added. "With your permission, I will make my personal farewell in my own time," Karnit said. Barak also eulogized Goldwasser. "Miki and Shlomo, Karnit, Ya'ir and Gadi, today we bury an IDF fighter and your darling Udi and hold you close to our hearts," he said. "31 years old at his death, born in Nahariya, a combat soldier in the Givati Brigade, a man of literature and music, a lover of cinema and photography, truly he was the salt of the Earth," Barak said. "I reiterate to the IDF's fighters and commanders: If any of you fall captive, the State of Israel and the government, the defense minister and the chief of staff will do everything in their power in order to bring you back," he added. "This is the time to tell the Schalit family: We will not rest until we bring back your son, alive and well," Barak said, referring to Gilad Schalit, held in Gaza since late June 2006.