Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman on Sunday issued a statement regarding the return of Israeli dead soldiers and living civilians who are held in the Gaza Strip, following the resignation of Lior Lotan, Head of the IDF’s POWs and MIAs Department.
“I would like to thank Lior Lotan for his dedicated work, commitment and efforts. I also accept with understanding and love the criticism of the Goldin and Shaul families, and continue to be personally committed to the return to Israel of Hadar, Oron, and our civilians who are held in the Gaza Strip in violation of international law,” Liberman began, adding, “I consider this to be of supreme moral and moral importance, first and foremost to the families, and to the IDF and the State of Israel.”
“However, we must not repeat the mistake of the Shalit deal,” Liberman continued, referring to the 2011 agreement between Israel and Hamas to release Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in return for “1,027 terrorists who were released, including murderers and their operators, including Mahmoud Qawasmeh, who was released to the Gaza Strip and financed the abduction [and murder] of the three [Israeli] youths, and Yahya Sinwar, who leads Hamas in the Gaza Strip – the same Sinwar that now poses tough demands that make it impossible to advance to any deal [to release the captives].”
“It is also important to remember that 202 of the Shalit swap prisoners have since been arrested by the defense establishment for involvement in terrorism, and 111 of them are still in Israeli prisons. Seven Israelis were murdered directly or indirectly by those who were released in that swap,” Liberman noted.
“Therefore, before appointing a replacement for Lior Lotan, it is important to adopt the Shamgar report in its entirety,” Liberman stated.
The Shamgar committee’s main recommendation was that the authority over the release of captives and abductees be transferred to the Defense Ministry, away from the prime minister’s control.
“This would draw clear borders for the State of Israel and its emissaries, most importantly to stand firm against our enemies and make it clear to them that we have no intention of compromising on the security of the people of Israel,” Liberman concluded.