The parents of IDF soldier Hadar Goldin, who perished in the 2014 Gaza conflict, met with the new US Ambassador to UN in the hopes that she will help promote the return of their son's body.
By DANIELLE ZIRISec.-Lt. Hadar Goldin.(photo credit: Courtesy)
NEW YORK - The parents of IDF soldier Hadar Goldin, who was killed in Gaza in 2014 during Operation Protective Edge and whose body is still being held by Hamas, met on Wednesday with the new US Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley.During their meeting, the Goldin family requested that Ambassador Haley assist in their efforts to promote the return of the bodies of their son and Sgt. Oron Shaul, also held in Gaza, for burial in Israel.Goldin’s parents, Leah and Simcha, have made several trips to the United States over the past year to campaign for their cause. They have held multiple meetings at the United Nations as well with officials such as former Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, his former assistant for Peacekeeping Operations Edmond Mulet and Israel’s ambassador to the UN Danny Danon.A spokesperson for the US Mission to the UN said that during the meeting Ambassador Haley pledged to advocate on behalf of Hadar Goldin and work with Leah and Simcha as well as the Israeli Mission and other US partners at the UN for the return of Hadar's body to Israel for proper burial."We appreciate Ambassador Haley's willingness to assist us in the return of our sons and we hope that these efforts bear fruit as soon as possible," Goldin’s parents, who had previously described the matter as “a humanitarian issue”, said.Ambassador Danny Danon also thanked Nikki Haley for meeting with the family."Hadar was killed and kidnapped by despicable terrorists during a UN sponsored ceasefire and we won't rest until this organization ensures his and Oron's return for proper burial in Israel," he added.
