On August 17, 1997, IDF soldier Guy Hever went missing just one kilometer from the Syrian border.
By JPOST.COM STAFFguy hever 248.88(photo credit: )On August 17, 1997, IDF soldier Guy Hever went missing in the Golan Heights, just one kilometer from the Syrian border. Not a single clue has since been found that could shed light on his disappearance.
Evidence suggests that Guy may be held against his will in Syria. Demand your representatives - congressmen, statesmen, governors - to take action.
Bring Guy back to his family for Rosh Hashana!
Twelve years after he vanished, we are publishing a letter written by his mother Rina:
We are the family of Guy Hever, the IDF soldier who has been missing since August 17th, 1997. He was last seen on the Golan Heights at the Katzabiya junction just one kilometer away from the Syrian border. He was dressed in army fatigues and carried his personal weapon, as customary for all Israeli soldiers. He had his international military identification papers (Geneva Convention Card).
An extensive search was carried out by the military, the police and the secret services, but there were no results. Not a single item of his was found despite all the searches, not even his key chain or his dog tag.
Arik Einstein sings for Guy Hever's return:
The Israeli government's opinion on Guy's disappearance 11 years ago is that he was kidnapped to Syria. There are documented cases of Syria keeping a person in captivity while absolutely denying any knowledge on the matter.
The Israeli authorities in general and the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs in particular have made great efforts to obtain information on Guy's where¬abouts, with international bodies, foreign governments and humanitarian organi¬zations.
We, Guy's family, have also made such efforts over the years. Just in the last year we met with the Israeli Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, with the United Nations Secretary General, with United States Senators Dodd and Specter and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi before or after their visits to Syria, with Mr. Uhrlau, a leading figure in the German secret services involved in recent negotiations, with the President of the ICRC, with the current Spanish Foreign Minister Mr. Moratinos, with Mr. Djerejian, a former US Ambassador to both Syria and Israel. Gen. Ashkenazy, the Israeli Chief of General Staff, promised us to look for information on Guy through all channels available to him.
Last month we again met Ambassador Djerejian who told us that the Syrian President knows Guy's case well, but is not prepared to give any information.
In February 2007 a Syrian organization claimed it holds Guy and wants to exchange him for Syrian prisoners being held in Israel. This is the first hint from the Syrians after 10 years. Fact is that in Syria nobody expresses his opinion publicly without the permission of the authorities.
The state of Israel promised a reward of 10 million US dollars for details about Guy's fate.
Guy was born on May 30, 1977, firstborn to Rina and Eitan and brother to Or and Shir. Surrounded by a loving family and friends, who miss him very much, Guy had an avid interest in computers, enjoyed music and read science fiction.
We have in our possession the dog tag of a Syrian soldier found on the Golan Heights. We published in the Syrian media that we are looking for his family in order to give them the tag.
Respectfully,
Rina Hever
www.guyhever.com
