Developing: Three Israeli Teens Kidnapped by Hamas
Israeli Missions Around The World Washington News Developing: Three Israeli Teens Kidnapped by Hamas

Developing: Three Israeli Teens Kidnapped

  • 6/17/2014
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    Eyal Yifrah, Gilad Sha'er and Naftali Frenkel z"l Eyal Yifrah, Gilad Sha'er and Naftali Frenkel z"l
     
     
    On Thursday June 12, three Israeli teens on the way back to school in the West Bank were kidnapped by Hamas terrorists. "This attack should surprise no one because Hamas makes no secret of its agenda," said Prime Minister Netanyahu. "Hamas is committed to the destruction of Israel and to carrying out terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians – including children."

    IDF and Israeli security forces have been conducting a widespread operation since their abduction in an effort to find the three Israelis teens – Eyal Yifrah, 19, Gilad Shaar, 16, and Naftali Frenkel, 16 – and capture their Hamas kidnappers. 

    "Israel holds the Palestinian Authority and President Abbas responsible for any attacks against Israel that emanate from Palestinian-controlled territory," continued Prime Minister Netanyahu. "I believe that the dangers of [the Hamas-Fatah unity] pact now should be abundantly clear to all. We have seen since the signing of that pact an increase in terrorist activity emanating from the West Bank. We have seen Hamas strengthen its presence there, and this increases the likelihood that Hamas will take control of the Palestinian Authority, precisely as it did in Gaza. This will not advance peace; it will advance terror."

    Palestinians Praise Kidnapping 
    Soon after Thursday’s kidnapping, terrorist organizations praised the attack and urged Palestinians to hamper the IDF’s efforts to locate the boys. Senior Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad officials have called for the kidnapping of more Israelis, with the insidious intention of trading them for convicted terrorists.

    Upon hearing of the abduction, Palestinians handed out candy in the streets and posted messages lauding the incident on social media sites. On Friday, Palestinians initiated a Facebook campaign expressing support for the terrorist kidnapping. Dozens changed their Facebook profiles, posting pictures of three fingers meant to represent the abducted teens. Meanwhile, comics featuring slogans such as #Three_”GiladShalits” and “Hebron_Uprising” began spreading over the internet.
     

  • Statements by Prime Minsiter Netanyahu

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    ​Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the following remarks at the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting (Sunday, 15 June 2014):

    "This morning I can say what I was unable to say yesterday before the extensive wave of arrests of Hamas members in Judea and Samaria.

    Those who perpetrated the abduction of our youths were members of Hamas - the same Hamas that Abu Mazen made a unity government with; this has severe repercussions.

    We are currently focusing all of our efforts on bringing the abductees back home. Before coming here, I spoke again with the families, and I embrace and encourage them from here, from the Cabinet table, and I know that I speak for all parts of the nation."


    Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued the following statement on Saturday evening (June 14, 2014):

    "Good evening.

    We are in the midst of a wide-ranging operation to locate and return the three missing youths. The three missing students are Eyal Yifrach, Gilad Sha'er and Naftali Frenkel.

    I spoke with their parents before the onset of Shabbat. I told them that we are doing everything that the State of Israel can do, and even more, in order to bring their children - who are our children - back home. I must say that these parents showed admirable restraint and strength of spirit. In these difficult hours the heart of the entire nation is with the teens and their families.

    The IDF, ISA and all the security services are currently engaged in intensive operations in order to locate the missing youths. I thank them for this activity; they are working 'round the clock. Naturally, I cannot share everything we know, not at this time; however, I can say this: Our young people have been abducted by a terrorist organization. This is absolutely clear; there is no doubt about this. They were abducted by a terrorist organization.

    In consultations with Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon, Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch, IDF Chief-of-Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz and ISA Director Yoram Cohen, I issued the following instructions:

    * First, to use all means at our disposal in order to locate the abductees;

    * Second, to prevent the possibility of their being moved to the Gaza Strip or any other place;

    * Third, to prepare all forces for any scenario; and

    * Fourth, to demand that the Palestinian Authority and its leader, Abu Mazen, from whose territory the kidnappers came, to do whatever is necessary to assist in bring the abductees back home. This is the responsibility of the Palestinian Authority. We hold Abu Mazen and the Palestinian Authority responsible for all attacks against Israel that originate from their territory, whether this is Judea and Samaria or the Gaza Strip.

    The claim that the Palestinian Authority is not responsible because the event occurred in an area under Israeli control is baseless. When terrorist attacks were perpetrated, and you all remember this, in the center of the country, it was the authority that controlled the area from which the attackers originated that was responsible. This is exactly the case here. The attackers came from Palestinian Authority areas and the Authority is responsible.

    To my regret, this event underscores what we have been saying - myself, the Defense Minister and the Government of Israel - for many months: The pact with Hamas has led to very harsh results, results which are the exact opposite of advancing peace between us and the Palestinians.

    All of the terrorist organizations - Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the other terrorist organizations - are committed to the destruction of Israel and they draw encouragement from this pact. Their personnel are constantly trying to murder, attack and abduct Israeli citizens simply because they are Israeli citizens - women, youths and children. They shrink at nothing and need no excuse, reason or pretext to do so, and they are indeed trying to do so. Over the decades they have tried to perpetrate abductions and, to our regret, they occasionally succeed. Dozens of such attempts were foiled last year alone.

    My friends, we have all seen the terrorist base that was created in the Gaza Strip when Hamas and the terrorist organizations seized control there. Now, Abu Mazen's pact with Hamas has opened the door to a possible Hamas takeover of the Palestinian Authority areas in Judea and Samaria.

    I have said this before and I reiterate it tonight: There is no possibility of talking peace with Israel while, at the same time, establishing a unity government with Hamas, a terrorist organization that aspires to destroy Israel. Those same elements in the international community that said that the Palestinian agreement with Hamas would advance peace now see the true results of this union.

    Citizens of Israel, in our region, states are collapsing and coming apart under the murderous assaults of extremist Islam and the terrorist organizations operating under its auspices. Only a strong and united stand by the entire nation is preventing - and continuing to prevent - their victory here. Again and again we have discovered that we can rely only on ourselves - on the IDF, the ISA, the security services and on your strength of spirit - soldiers and citizens of Israel.