Three teens kidnapped by Hamas terror organization
Israeli Missions Around The World Chicago Three teens kidnapped by Hamas terror organization

Three teens kidnapped by Hamas terror organization

  • 6/16/2014
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    On Thursday night (12 June),three Israeli teenagers were kidnapped in the West Bank. Israel is engaged in an intensive operation to return Gilad Sha'er (16), Naftali Frenkel (16), who has dual Israeli-American citizenship, and Eyal Yifrah (19) to their families.

    As a result of the kidnap prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a security assessment of the situation, at his Tel Aviv office, at the Defense Ministry, with the participation of Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon, Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch, IDF Chief-of-Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz and the ISA. The Prime Minister previously held a security consultation at his Jerusalem office with the participation of Defense Minister Yaalon and Public Security Minister Aharonovitch.

    Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke today (June 16) with Palestinian Authority Chairman Abu Mazen and told him, "I expect you to assist in returning the abducted youths and in apprehending the kidnappers. The Hamas kidnappers came from territory under Palestinian Authority control and returned to territory under Palestinian Authority control. This incident exposes the true face of the terrorism that we are fighting against. Terrorists abduct innocent Israeli children while we save the lives of ill Palestinian children in our hospitals. This is the difference between our humanitarian policy and the murderous terrorism that is attacking us."

    Prime Minister Netanyahu added, "The consequences of the partnership with Hamas must be understood; it is bad for Israel, bad for the Palestinians and bad for the region."

    Israel holds the Palestinian Authority responsible for the well-being of the missing.

    Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with US Secretary of State John Kerry and told him that Abu Mazen was responsible for the well-being of the missing. The Prime Minister added that what has been happening on the ground since Hamas' entry into the Palestinian government is destructive and the result of the entry of a murderous terrorist organization into the government.

    Hamas terrorists abducted the three teens. 

    The Palestinian terrorist organizations, foremost among them the extreme Islamist group Hamas, are committed to the destruction of Israel and to carrying out terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians. Hamas does not need any reason, excuse or incentive to murder and kidnap Israelis. Terrorist attacks are nothing less than Hamas' raison d'etre. Dozens of attempted kidnappings have been foiled in the last year alone.

    Hamas, like its Islamist terrorist counterparts across the Middle East, threatens the stability of the region, and its actions should be condemned in the strongest terms. The international community should unequivocally condemn the Hamas attack on innocent Israeli teenagers.

    The kidnapping validates Israel's assessment that the pact between PA President Abbas and Hamas would strengthen Palestinian terrorist organizations, push peace further away and destabilize the area.
     
    Israel holds the Palestinian Authority, headed by President Abbas, responsible for the fate of the kidnapped teens and for terrorist activity emanating from the areas under its control. The Palestinian Authority - from whose territory the kidnappers came - must do whatever is necessary to assist in bringing the teens home. The Fatah-Hamas pact has opened the door to wider Hamas activity in the West Bank and President Abbas cannot absolve himself of his responsibility.