The opening of the annual 'Hadar Program' for students of pre-military preparatory schools was held at the International Convention Center in Jerusalem Thursday evening.
The conference is named for Hadar Goldin, an IDF soldier who was killed by Hamas terrorists during a humanitarian cease-fire in Operation Protective Edge in 2014. Hamas has held his body as well ad the body of Oron Shaul for over seven years.
The keynote speaker at the conference, Hadar's father, Prof. Simcha Goldin, opened his speech with the main points of the 'Hadar Program', the purpose of which is to bring the soldiers' remains back to Israel for burial and with dignified commemoration in their memory. In his speech he mentioned the courage and humility of Hadar.
"The State of Israel has only recently released dozens of terrorists without anything in return. The state brings dozens of new vehicles into Gaza and gives very favorable conditions to Hamas members but does not demand the return of our boys in exchange," Goldin said.
He added, "Only recently did the IDF Spokesman explain that prisoners and missing persons are not a military issue, so who will take responsibility and return them to us? I call on Prime Minister Naftali Bennett to act as quickly as possible to return them to Israel. The Prime Minister has a historic opportunity to create a new situation between Israel, the IDF and the terrorists and to return the soldiers at a price which we set and not at the price set by the enemy. Hadar was abducted by the enemy three weeks before his wedding about seven years ago and since then no one knows what happened to him. I was taught that whoever abandons casualties on the battlefield at the end will also abandon the wounded and the soldiers there."
"Chief of Staff Kochavi, I'm talking here about the five best preparatory schools whose students are going to lead the army. Hadar serves as an example to them. But unfortunately you leave him with the enemy, you must bring him back so that his role model and character will lead the army and have value. If he is thrown to the enemy, it is impossible to raise such soldiers. They have no one to take a personal example from," Simcha Goldin concluded.