Family of abducted soldier seeks help from Russian mufti

The head of the Council of Muftis in Russia, Ravil Gaynutdin, yesterday received a Rosh Hashanah card from the family of abducted Israel Defense Forces soldier Ehud Goldwasser and promised to try to arrange its delivery to Goldwasser and fellow kidnapped soldier Eldad Regev.

Goldwasser's wife, Karnit, and his parents, Shlomo and Miki, arrived in Russia Wednesday. They met with the mufti at his office in Moscow. The Goldwassers flew to Russia in the private plane of businessman Lev Leviev.

Gaynutdin agreed to meet with the family at the behest of Russia's chief rabbi, Berl Lazar, and Leviev, who is also the president of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia and the CIS.

The Goldwassers told the mufti that since the July 12 abduction, there had been no sign of life from the captured soldiers. "I don't dare ask you to work toward their release, which of course is our deepest wish. In the initial stage, we will settle for a sign from someone reliable who can confirm to us that the boys are alive," Miki Goldwasser told Gaynutdin.

The family told the mufti about Udi, Eldad and Gilad Shalit, the Israel Defense Forces corporal who was abducted to Gaza, and asked him to use his standing in the international Muslim community to ensure that the soldiers are treated with respect.

"Millions of people throughout the world are worried about the fate of the three, and every one will be grateful to you for any information you can bring from or about them," Rabbi Lazar told Gaynutdin.

The mufti promised to exhaust all the options available to him to bring a swift end to the abductions.

"Islam is a religion that demands the preservation of the honor, health and welfare of prisoners, Gaynutdin said. "We are greatly saddened that there are those among us who claim that suicide is a religious act that is rewarded."

	A man looking at photographs of abducted IDF soldiers posted in Jerusalem last month. (AP)