I Gilboas skugga

"Fundringar" kring den eviga konflikten med utgångspunkt från vardagen.

07 april 2007

Miki Goldwasser, mother of one of two soldiers kidnapped by Hizbullah terrorists in Lebanon last July 12, wrote the following letter to her son Ehud. The soldiers' whereabouts and fate are not known, despite Israel's having allowed the Red Cross to visit three Hizbullah terrorists captured during the war. Mrs. Goldwasser wrote: Udi my child, today is Passover Eve, the holiday of liberty. The family will celebrate Passover separately this year. Dad, Yair and I will be at Aunt Nurit and Uncle Eitan's home. Karnit, Daniella, Omri, Yahel and Rotem will be at Grandma Miriam's. Gadi is still in India. We have never celebrated any holiday in this way. We were always together - laughing, chattering, fooling around, and mainly, feeling immensely happy. Tonight, we will try to smile as a show of gratitude to our host. We will try. Udi, I must tell you, I have been approached by several families who suggested that they not celebrate Passover this year in solidarity with the three families whose sons remain in captivity [Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, held by Hizbullah, and Gilad Shalit, held by Hamas in Gaza - ed.]. We do not know these wonderful families, but I asked them not to give up on the holiday, but rather celebrate it to spite those who want to weaken and defeat us. We will celebrate with an empty chair - yours, Gilad's and Eldad's chair. I promise you that no one will defeat us, neither Hizbullah nor Hamas. We will not be undermined from within either; we will secure your release. Our war today for your release guarantees the safety of all of our children tomorrow. Udi, I suppose you don't know what day it is today, that the sky is blue and spring is just around the corner; perhaps the scents of the new blossoms are reaching you; maybe you can hear the singing of the migrating birds, and maybe it is your thoughts that are wandering. But we are here with you each and every moment, day and night. And we are not letting go. We are not waning. No one will defeat us. Happy Passover to you, my child. Happy Passover to all of Israel. Your mother, Miki