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Bereaved mother slams MK: You know nothing about democracy

July 28, 2016

Leah Goldin, the bereaved mother of Hadar Goldin, an IDF soldier whose body has been held by Hamas since 2014, slammed Yesh Atid MK Elazar Stern over his proposal to place a cap on prisoner swaps with Arab terrorist organizations.

Speaking to Channel 10 Thursday morning, Goldin rejected efforts to implement recommendations offered by the Shamgar report, which suggested Israel ban mass transfers of Arab terrorists in prisoner exchanges, limiting such swaps to a one-for-one formula – one Arab terrorist in exchange for one Israeli captive.

In this morning’s interview, Goldin said Israel should hold off on adopting the report’s recommendation, noting that it could harm the chances of returning her son’s body and the body of Oron Shaul, another soldier killed by Hamas in 2014.

“We’re frustrated,” said Goldin. “In Israel there is a [social] contract between the state and its soldiers. Everyone sends their children out to war, and just as you send them out, you also have to bring them back.”

“What’s worse is that we’re in the midst of a situation and as far as we’re concerned the war hasn’t ended. Therefore you cannot change the laws and rules for our sons.”

Goldin also lashed out at Stern, who has proposed legislation which would implement the Shamgar report’s recommendations.

“Elazar Stern doesn’t understand anything about democracy.”

“His effort is driven only by fear, hysteria, and [is an] attempt to clear his own conscience. He’s creating more barriers to negotiations [for the return of the two soldiers’ bodies].”

Instead, suggested Goldin, Israel should alter the decades-old status quo with Hamas, pursuing a more aggressive policy and force the return of captives held by the terror group.

“For the past 30 years there’s been a sort of tradition – Hamas kidnaps, and Israel frees terrorists. The time has come to change the equation; instead of them kidnapping our soldiers and demanding a price be paid, the time has come for the State of Israel to demand things from Hamas for their holding of our soldiers. You want a water desalination plant? Give us back our boys.”

“A spokesperson for MK Stern responded on Twitter to Goldin’s comments, writing that: “Stern’s bill would not affect the current situation [of the two soldiers’ bodies held in captivity], and is therefore not relevant to the Goldin family.”

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