Israel returns bodies of 2 terrorists, blasted by Goldin family
Bodies of Har Adar, Karmei Tzur terrorists returned to Palestinians Friday; Goldin family: 'State vowed to implement Cabinet's decision in full, but 24 hours later released terrorists' bodies for burial. Government has no respect towards its kidnapped soldiers.'
The Israeli government returned to the Palestinian Authority Friday the bodies of two terrorists who carried out deadly attacks against Israeli civilians, prompting Simcha and Leah Goldin, the parents of IDF soldier Hadar Goldin whose body is held by Hamas, to accuse the government of exhibiting "security weakness and betrayal of IDF soldiers."
The bodies returned to the Palestinians for burial were those of Nimer Jamal of Beit Surik, who murdered three Israelis in Har Adar in September of 2017, and of Hamza Zamareh of Halhul, who carried out an attempted stabbing attack in Gush Etzion's Karmei Tzur last week.
"We thought the prime minister and the Cabinet members were merely lying to the public in the media, but have now learned they have no qualms about lying to the High Court as well," the Goldin family said in a statement.
"This past Thursday, the state vowed before the court to implement the Cabinet's decision regarding (terrorists') bodies in full, but 24 hours later released the terrorists' bodies for burial," Hadar Goldin's enraged parents said.
"This government has no respect for its kidnapped soldiers and no shame about lying in court. It's sad we have come to a point where the government lies to a bereaved family and does not implement its own decisions," the Goldin family concluded.
The aforementioned court hearing Thursday dealt with a petition submitted by the Goldin family demanding to implement Cabinet's decisions regarding making the conditions of the incarceration of Hamas prisoners harsher as well as not returning terrorists' bodies.
"My son was killed in Operation Protective Edge and we are now entering the fourth year of his body being held by Hamas in Gaza," Simcha Goldin said. "I'm a reserve lieutenant colonel, my children are all officers, and I know soldiers may die in battle. I raised my children that the IDF sends soldiers to battle and the prime minister is also responsible for bringing them back."
Goldin said the family is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on March 15, but said, "The government did not forget Hadar, it abandoned and ignored him."
"Netanyahu knows he left in Gaza and excellent Golani officer and an excellent Givati officer. He knows that. The defense minister and the IDF chief also know that. The question is, what are they doing (about it)? They ignore and abandon, which is a very bad way to begin the 70th anniversary celebrations to the State of Israel," he accused.
The IDF commented on the bodies' return and said, "The bodies of two terrorists were returned to the Palestinians following a status evaluation.
"The body of the terrorist who carried out the attempted stabbing attack near Karmei Tzur was returned to his family in Halhul near Hebron. The body of the terrorist who carried out the Har Adar shooting attack, in which two security guards and a Border Policeman was killed, was returned to his family in Beit Surik."
