More than 40 rallies were held in 70 cities across the globe Tuesday for the now eight kidnapped and missing soldiers. The largest took place in New York, opposite the Syrian and Iranian embassies.
The solidarity events were arranged around the world to rally support for IDF soldiers Cpl. Gilad Shalit, Ehud Goldwasser, and Eldad Regev who have been missing since the summer of 2006. Also remembered were MIAs Zachary Baumel, Tzvi Feldman, Yehuda Katz, Ron Arad and Guy Hever.
Over 3,000 students, soldiers and new immigrants - hailing from America to Brazil to Holland - attended the World Solidarity Event held in Jerusalem Sunday, kicking off the week of protests. The night’s attractions included several dancing and musical performances as well as speeches made by Karnit Goldwasser, wife of missing IDF reservist Ehud Goldwasser, and Jewish Agency Chairman Ze’ev Bielski.
Throughout the night chants of “Don’t Let Apathy Kill Them,” “Zeh Lo Nigmar- It’s not finished,” and most often, “Hachziru et habanim habaita-bring the sons home.” The event was organized by the Student Forum, in conjunction with Hagshama. The World Zionist Organization, the Jewish Agency, and several other organizations hosted.
The large hall at Jerusalem's Binyanei Ha’uma convention center was adorned with pictures of the three kidnapped soldiers. Cpl. Shalit was captured in June of 2006 near the Gaza border outside Kibbutz Kerem Shalom. Goldwasser and Regev were kidnapped in July, 2006 while patrolling the Lebanon border.
Tables were swarmed with students signing petitions to be sent to Ban Ki-Moon, the United Nations Secretary General. The petition, also displayed on the walls of the building, begins with “We, Students from all over the world, are writing to you to request your personal intervention in obtaining the release of Israel’s kidnapped soldiers.” The petitions also decried the violation of human rights entailed in Hamas and Hizbullah’s barring of the Red Cross from visiting the soldiers.
A student from Argentina, a member of the Beitar world-wide Zionist youth movement, said, “It’s very important to be active in our communities…to educate and transmit the message about Israel.
The calls did not only target UN officials, but also the Israeli government, to release untold numbers of terrorists to gain the soldiers’ freedom. A friend and fellow soldier of Goldwasser’s declared: “Any price is legitimate,” and was answered by cheers and a standing ovation from the visiting students. Terror victim organizations have issued stern warnings against release of multiple terrorists even in exchange for MIA's saying that many return to carrying out attacks against Israeli civilians.
Karnit Goldwasser delivered a heartfelt plea for the students to join the struggle for her husband and the rest of the MIAs’ freedom: “I am only one and I have one voice…but we need you…to raise your voices, to ask, to demand,” she said.
On Tuesday, at 9 PM Israel time, protests took place in more than 40 Jewish communities across the world, including: America, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, France, Mexico, Netherlands, Ukraine, Uruguay and Venezuela.