Razi Barkai
Razi BarkaiFlash 90

Prof. Simha Goldin, the father of IDF soldier Hadar Goldin who like Oron Shaul fell in 2014 Operation Protective Edge and whose body is still being held by Hamas in Gaza, on Monday condemned a radio host who likened him to terrorists' families.

Army Radio host Razi Barkai on Sunday had made the comparison in an interview with Internal Security Minister Gilad Erdan (Likud), likening the pain of the families of IDF soldiers whose bodies are being held by Hamas with the pain of the families of Arab terrorists whose bodies are held by Israel, delaying their return and burial as a deterrent move.

"I'm happy that you said these things out loud," Goldin said to Barkai in an interview confrontation on Army Radio Monday morning.

"Now IDF soldiers need to decide whether to continue listening to this station."

Barkai tried to apologize, saying, "if (my) words hurt you then it was an unsuccessful expression. I tried to explain where it comes from, but I think that in this matter the two of us have clarified things."

Prof. Goldin responded, saying, "the apology is not an apology between us, it needs to be an apology to the entire state of Israel, to all IDF soldiers."

Later in the interview while speaking with host Niv Riskin, Goldin clarified again that Barkai's apology was not enough, saying, "I think he didn't apologize fully, I think that it's very serious, I think that IDF soldiers can't accept this."

Goldin also spoke about the efforts of the families to secure the return of the bodies of their loved ones, saying "we're trying to meet with as many sources as possible in the UN in order to emphasize the difference between our conduct and that of Hamas."

The bereaved father demanded that the bodies of Arab terrorists not be returned for burial until Goldin and Shaul's bodies are returned, noting that "because of the special situation, we need to hold onto every body of the enemy in order to require the return of Hadar's body."

A poll last February found that an overwhelming majority of the public view Barkai as holding extreme leftist views, estimating that he would vote either for the leftist Labor party or radical leftist Meretz.