On August 27, Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman spoke about the soldiers and citizens held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip in connection with the resignation of Colonel Liora Lotan, coordinator for captives and missing Israelis.
Lotan appealed to the Prime Minister to release him from office, which he performed on a voluntary basis for the past three years.
"I want to thank Liora Lotan for the work he has done, for his commitment and his efforts. I accept with understanding and love the criticism of the families of Goldin and Shaul and continue to personally bear responsibility for the return of Adar and Oron to Israel, as well as our citizens who continue to be held in the Gaza Strip in violation of international law. I see this as the highest moral and moral value, primarily in relation to families, but also in relation to the IDF and the whole State of Israel, "Lieberman said.
At the same time, the Minister of Defense stressed that "we have no right to repeat the mistake that we made during the Shalit deal. As part of the deal, 1,027 terrorists were released, including the killers, and those who sent them, including Mahmoud Kawasamu, who was released to the Gaza Strip and subsequently paid for the kidnapping of three young men, and Ichie Sanvar, now in charge Hamas in the Gaza Strip. "
Lieberman recalled that 202 of those who were released under the Shalit deal were subsequently detained by security services for participating in terror, and 111 of them are still in an Israeli prison. 7 Israelis were killed with the direct or indirect participation of those who were released under the deal.
"And that is why, before appointing a replacement for Lioran Lothan, it is necessary to take the report of the Shamgar commission entirely to the leadership and thus to depict the State of Israel and its emissaries clear boundaries, especially with regard to the need to show firmness towards our enemies and to demonstrate to them That we do not intend to compromise when it comes to the security of the Israeli people, "the Defense Minister stressed.
Knesset deputy Miki Zohar (Likud) called on the head of government and defense minister to appoint a new coordinator of the Israelis immediately, as his absence touches the feelings of close prisoners and missing persons.