The families of kidnapped soldiers Eldad Regev, Ehud Goldwasser, and Gilad Shalit protested on Tuesday to United Nations representatives in Israel following the refusal of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, to meet with them.

The coordinators of the effort to free the soldiers said Arbour, who is now in Israel, finally said no to a meeting after avoiding a direct answer for two weeks.

The families want to discuss UN efforts to attain signs of life from the three soldiers.

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Benny Regev, brother of Eldad Regev, said the families were "furious and disappointed" at Arbour's refusal to meet with them.

He said Arbour has "no small responsibility for the well-being and security of the men, as part of Resolution 1701."

He added that he hoped Arbour "would reconsider and consent to meet with us and examine ways to return Udi [Ehud], Eldad and Gilad."

Arbour is expected to meet later this week with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and the two may discuss the kidnapped soldiers.

Meanwhile, Goldwasser's parents and his wife were in London earlier this week to take part in an event for missing Israel Air Force airman Ron Arad organized by the Royal College of Medicine.