Liberman: Obsession with discussing prisoner swap raises price for hostages

Yisrael Beytenu chief MK Avigdor Liberman on Tuesday slammed the perpetual discussions regarding a deal to release the hostages being held by Hamas and other terror groups.

Speaking to 103 FM Radio, Liberman said, "I do not intend to speak in studios - not television [studios] and not radio [studios] about the issue of returning the captives. I think that the obsessiveness with which we discuss the issue only raises the price. Hamas time and again identifies that this is our weak point, and it utilizes that to the fullest. I trust the Defense Ministry staff. The less politicians are involved - the healthier it is."

Regarding the fact that many of the hostages' families were forced to wait until they met with the Prime Minister, Liberman said, "There is no doubt that the families of the hostages are in a very difficult situation right now - it's very complex and we need to treat them with the utmost sensitivity. We need to treat them with all sensitivity [possible], we should not be checking every little thing about them - who comes in, who doesn't come in - certainly they should not be allowed to wait there for hours, but I don't want to use this interview to criticize the government."

"I can understand any feeling, and I am definitely not a supporter of this government, and I say: No one is abandoning them (the hostages). You cannot argue with feelings and we do not need to argue. I am telling you that truly, hundreds of people are working on this every day, every moment. Even in the political arena, there are people who are working quietly, without making noise or advertising themselves.

"I think that I deal, relatively frequently, with the families who I am personally helping. I have already had a chance to become involved - in previous years as well - with releasing people from captivity. I always tried to hide it as much as possible."