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Goldwasser family thanks supporters, wearily eyes 'finish line' By Jack Khoury Tags: Israel, Abducted soldiers  The parents of kidnapped soldier Ehud Goldwasser on Saturday welcomed the many journalists who stood at their door in Nahariya, and who accompanied Goldwasser and Eldad Regev's friends to the site on the Lebanese border where the pair were abducted two years ago. "This is the army that was with us for two years. Soon it will be over for us. We ask that you keep on supporting the Shalit family. Gilad must be brought home," Miki Goldwasser, Ehud's mother, told the press. Miki Goldwasser said the tension of the past few days, before the swap to bring back Goldwasser and Regev, were making her and her husband, Shlomo, feel "like a runner who wants to reach the finish line. The uncertainty is terrible. I hope there will be no more stumbling blocks and everything will end," Goldwasser said. Advertisement The families are very concerned over more "stumbling blocks." However, Shlomo Goldwasser told Haaretz about his conversation with Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Friday, and said he felt the kitchen cabinet would approve the report on missing airman Ron Arad Tuesday, paving the way for the swap. "Our feeling is that the chief of staff wants the deal to go through," Goldwasser said, adding, "I think it's not only the families that want this over; it's everyone in Israel and the Diaspora. It has become a national interest." As opposed to previous interviews, Saturday the Goldwassers did not criticize the government or the prime minister. "It's true we thought it would not take two years, because there was a war and UN Resolution 1701. But there were swaps that took much longer than ours," Goldwasser said. The meeting at the Goldwasser residence in Nahariya was relaxed, relative to the gathering of the friends of the abducted soldiers at the site of the kidnapping. The group of friends, who have been actively campaigning for Goldwasser and Regev's release, met at the site at the exact hour the kidnapping took place two years ago. Things looked very calm. It was hard to tell whether figures on the hill opposite were Lebanese farmers or soldiers. A United Nations helicopter hovered right over the border fence, observing both sides. "Unfortunately, the battle took too long because of failures and spins, the amateurish conduct of the government of Israel and the prime minister's dealing with other matters," said Miki Leibovitz, the chairman of the group. He said he hoped the deal would go through this week, and "two-thirds of this nightmare will be over, and we will continue fighting to bring Gilad [Shalit] home." Dudu Luvretzky, from Goldwasser and Regev's company, was on guard duty at the Zar'it post at the time of the kidnapping. "It's hard to believe how Hezbollah stood watching us from the bushes inside Israel's sovereign territory," he said. "I think if we had conducted offensive operations, such an event could have been avoided, but when the soldiers were almost at point-blank range, not even an elite unit could have prevented the outcome." Related articles: Nasrallah: Prisoner swap set for on or around July 15 Captive soldier's mother: I won't feel at ease until I hold my son Captive soldier's mother: I won't feel at ease until I hold my son Bookmark to del.icio.us   History undersea Israeli lifeguard stumbles upon ancient relic during morning swim. Elections, Hebrew style U.S. presidential hopefuls use Hebrew to woo the Jewish community.   1.   A decision that might cost many victims. 07:23  |  Jean Van Daem 13/07/08

Read & React Tehran slams McCain for saying cigarettes could be used to kill Iranians Responses: 107 Report: U.S. official says Israel has 'amber light' for Iran strike Responses: 192 Yossi Verter: However we look at 'Olmert Tours' affair, woe to us Responses: 52 Muslim charities targeted by Israel do more than fund terror Responses: 57 Zvi Bar'el: France is a friend of the Arabs because U.S. is a friend of Israel Responses: 32 More Headlines 00:28 Syrian officials: Assad won't give up on preconditions for talks 00:12 Obama: I used 'poor phrasing' in undivided Jerusalem remark 23:14 Ron Arad's family gets previously unseen photos of missing IAF navigator 22:48 Attorney General: It is not my job to oust prime ministers 23:32 PM aide: Israel has no intention of giving Hezbollah Shaba 21:36 Jewish leaders in Germany slam Holocaust omission from citizenship test 21:06 Olmert vows to free Palestinian prisoners regardless of swap deals 22:27 IDF colonel seriously injured in parachuting accident 20:21 Israeli lifeguard stumbles upon ancient relic during morning swim 15:11 Settler arrested in failed rocket attack on Palestinian town 22:17 Gaza militants fire 2 mortar shells at Israel in further truce violation Previous Editions Select Day 13 jul 11 jul 10 jul 09 jul 08 jul 07 jul 06 jul 04 jul 03 jul 02 jul 01 jul 30 jun

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