Report: Goldwasser and Regev were almost released

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Italian secret services were very close to bringing about the release of Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, the two IDF reservists being held in Lebanon, Italian newspaper Lastampa reported Monday. According to the report, quoted by Army Radio, "a wrong move by the Italian government thwarted [the release]." Italian Premier Romano Prodi, who is currently in Israel, would not confirm the report. "These facts are not known to me," he said. Prodi added that Italy attached much importance to the soldiers' release. "I can say that the Italian government is unremittingly interested in the fate of the abducted soldiers," he said. "We have applied pressure in the matter and asked for information on their whereabouts, but have never had specific data that could have triggered their release." "We will continue with our efforts," he said.