Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, this afternoon (22 June) held a security consultation on the issue of Israel’s captive and missing soldiers. Defense Minister Ehud Barak, senior security establishment officials, and Ofer Dekel and Ilan Biran, the special envoys on the issue, participated in the discussion.
Various issues related to IDF soldiers Eldad Regev, Ehud Goldwasser and Gilad Shalit were discussed, as was the fate of missing Air Force navigator Ron Arad.
Ways to expedite the negotiations on the release of Gilad Shalit were decided upon. It was also decided to continue the dialogue with the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's special mediator on the return of Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser to Israel, in order to bring the issue before the government.