Ehud Goldwasser

Ehud (Udi) Goldwasser ("Ehud Ben Malka Goldwasser") ( _he. אהוד גולדווסר; 18 July 1975 - circa July 12 2006) was an Israeli soldier who was captured in Israel by Hezbollah along with Eldad Regev on 12 July 2006, sparking the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict. His rank was Sergeant Major. [ [http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/Flash.aspx/150005 Posthumous Promotions for Goldwasser and Regev] IsraelNationalNews.com July 16, 2008]

On July 16, 2008, the bodies of Goldwasser and Regev were returned to Israel in an Israeli-Hezbollah prisoner swap. An examination of the bodies determined that the two reservists were probably killed during the initial attack. [ [http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/126874 Still Not Clear When and Where Goldwasser and Regev Died] IsraelNationalNews.com September 7, 2008]

Biography

Prior to his capture at Israel's border with Lebanon, Ehud "Udi" Goldwasser lived in Nahariya. He worked at Technion, the Israeli Institute of Technology, from which he earned a degree in aerospace engineering studies. [cite news | title=List of environmental engineering graduates | date=2006-07-13| publisher=Technion| url= http://sviva.technion.ac.il/index.php?page=28&menu=2] As a teenager, Udi lived in South Africa with his parents, Shlomo and Mickey, and two younger brothers. He was married to Karnit. Udi was interested in environmental conservation, motorcycles, sailing and photography. [cite news | title=Remains of abducted soldiers Goldwasser and Regev returned home | date=2006-07-16| publisher=Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs| url= http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Terrorism+from+Lebanon-+Hizbullah/Bodies+of+abducted+soldiers+Goldwasser+and+Regev+returned+home+16-Jul-2008.htm]

Raid

According to the United Nations, the fighting began at around 9 AM when Hezbollah launched rockets on Israeli military positions along the Lebanese border, apparently as a diversion. [ [http://domino.un.org/unispal.NSF/fd807e46661e3689852570d00069e918/87e2508779d8ec83852571b6004c761f S/2006/560 of 21 July 2006 ] ] A force then attacked two armored IDF Humvees patrolling the border near the Israeli village of Zar'it with anti-tank rockets, and captured the two soldiers.

An Israeli Merkava Mk. II tank was damaged by a 200 kg improvised explosive device, while attempting to give pursuit, killing all four crewmembers. [cite news |title=IDF releases names of two reserve soldiers kidnapped by Hezbollah| date=2006-07-13| publisher=Haaretz| url=http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/738310.html]

Prisoner swap

On July 16, 2008, Hezbollah transferred the coffins of Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev. [cite web|url=http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1215330982807&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull| title = UN identifying bodies presumed to be of Goldwasser, Regev|date = 2008-07-16| publisher="The Jerusalem Post"] , in exchange for Lebanese militant Samir Kuntar and four other Hezbollah fighters captured by Israel during the 2006 Lebanon War, as well as the remains of 199 Lebanese and Palestinian militants. [cite web|url=http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1002425.html| title = Coffins said to hold bodies of Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev taken to Israel-Lebanon border|date = 2008-07-16| publisher="Haaretz"] [cite news
url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/18/world/middleeast/18israel.html?ref=middleeast
title=Funerals in Israel for Two Soldiers
publisher=The New York Times
date=2008-07-18
accessdate=2008-07-18
author=Myra Noveck
coauthors=Graham Bowley]

Aerosmith dedication

On September 19, 2006, rock band Aerosmith dedicated their hit song Dream On to Ehud Goldwasser at the request of Goldwasser's wife. [ [http://www.israel21c.org/bin/en.jsp?enDispWho=InThePress&enPage=BlankPage&enDisplay=view&enDispWhat=Zone&enZone=InThePress&Date=09/18/06 "Aerosmith lines up behind abducted IDF soldiers"] , "Israel21c", 19 September 2006]

References

ee also

*Gilad Shalit
*Eldad Regev
*Israeli MIAs

External links

* [http://www.habanim.org/en/index_en.html Official site about the 2006 MIAs] (Shalit, Goldwasser, Regev)
* [http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3274258,00.html Event of Two Israeli Soldiers Kidnapped - YnetNews]
* [http://www.expoze.co.il/go/udigold Udi's photography gallery]
* [http://www.geocities.com/dror1989/ourboys.html Our Boys] Downloadable AIM icons to show support and raise awareness.