Wiesenthal Center: Israel Right To Link Release Of Terrorist Bodies To The Return Of The Remains Of Missing Soldiers And Return Of Israeli Civilians By Hamas

November 2, 2017

Senior officials of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a leading human rights NGO, endorsed Israel’s linkage of releasing bodies of Hamas terrorists killed while digging a terror tunnel with the repatriation of the remains of two Israeli soldiers held for years in Gaza by Hamas.

“Jewish law recognizes the sanctity of the remains of a human being. However, in the case of the bodies of Hamas operatives killed while digging a tunnel under Israeli territory, the Simon Wiesenthal Center is in total agreement with Israeli authorities,” said Rabbis Marvin Hier and Abraham Cooper, Dean and Founder and Associate Dean and Director of Global Social Action.

“Hamas has violated the basic norms of humanity by holding hostage the remains of two Israeli soldiers. We learned first-hand of the anguish of the family of Hadar Goldin, who visited the Simon Wiesenthal Center a few months ago,” Rabbis Hier and Cooper said. “The International Red Cross should immediately launch an effort to release all the remains to their families, without delay,” they concluded. 

Hadar Goldin's parents, Simcha and Leah speaking at the Wiesenthal Center's Museum of Tolerance earlier this year. Photo: Bart Bartholomew

                                                                                                                                                                         Los Angeles community leader, Mohammad Khan (pictured here in Israel with the Goldins), said that Hamas’ holding the remains of the Israeli soldiers hostage was against Muslim law. 

Khan also created a video, "Bring Hadar Home", urging Muslims to call for the release of the remains of the dead Israelis: https://vimeo.com/205648946/f34c0c1294

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