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Tami Arad Talks

On October 16th, 1986, Captain Ron Arad’s plain crashed in

Lebanon and he fell captive to terrorists in Lebanon. This was

also the moment when Tami Arad, his wife, was born as our

most concealed icon.

This weekend Tami Arad breaks a long silence, after 16 years in

which she has not been interviewed. In a rare personal interview
the missing navigator’s wife tells about the crises, the longing

and the struggles. Tami Arad also talks about Karnit Goldvasser,
Gil’ad Shalit, about the love in her life – and about the new

novel she has written.

At the end of a long silence she says today: we have to pay any
price necessary so Gil’ad won’t turn into Ron number two.
“Let’s say that in three years the price would come down to 380
prisoners – is it worth it?” she wonders.
The captive navigator’s wife emphasized in an interview to
‘Galey Tzahal’ that the time factor in Gil’ad’s matter is critical
and that “He is not to be toyed with”, especially right before the
forming of the new government: “It takes a quick and short
decision, and that’s what’s going to get Gil’ad back home.
Every day he remains in captivity works against us, and I’m not
paraphrasing”.
“An act of desperation”
Arad criticizes the government’s conduct, claiming that it does

not share enough with the public regarding the talks to release
the soldier. “The easiest thing is to declare ‘we are dealing with
it night and day’” Arad claims. “But this silencing is not
beneficial – and the measures taken by the Shalit family, sitting
in a protest tent, is an act of desperation”.

In light of her many years of experience, the captive navigator's

wife explained that she has no dilemma regarding the release of
the kidnapped soldier. “If there had been another alternative –
Gil’ad would be here today. For who’s promising that there
would be anyone to bring back in three years?”

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