McCain visits families of two missing Israeli soldiers

Remember Israeli Defense Force reserve soldiers Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser? The kidnapping of these two men was the catalyst for the start of this summer's Israeli-Hezbollah war. At least outside of Israeli, sadly, the two men have largely been forgotten.

From AP:

Sen. John McCain, who spent five grueling years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, met with the families of two captured Israeli soldiers Sunday, sharing his own harrowing story of survival and promising to work for their release.

Reserve soldiers Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser were captured July 12 by Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas in a cross-border raid that ignited a 34-day war. Hezbollah hasn't provided any evidence they are still alive.

''I don't know if I was able to bring comfort, but we certainly said we would do everything in our power to bring attention to the situation and see that Geneva Conventions are observed,'' McCain said after meeting with the soldiers' relatives.

Omri Avni, Goldwasser's father-in-law, said McCain's experience gave his family a shred of optimism. ''This is a very good hope for us, because even after five years there is new life," he said.

Technorati tags: 2008 politics Elections Republicans Israel McCain