By Glynn Cosker
In Homeland Security Editor
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking help from the world’s top leaders to insist that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas cease his new relationship with the Hamas militant group. Abbas formed a unity government in early June, effectively ending a seven-year split with Hamas.
Three teenagers recently disappeared in the West Bank, and Israel is convinced that Hamas militants kidnapped the youths. Gil-Ad Shaer and U.S.-Israeli national Naftali Fraenkel, both aged 16 and Eyal Yifrah, 19, have not been heard from since they left their religious school in a Jewish settlement June 12. Hamas has stayed silent on their involvement with the missing people, but Netanyahu is eager to bring the issue to the world’s attention stating that the apparent abduction “shows the true face of Hamas.”
Tensions further escalated Tuesday when Israel’s security cabinet ordered the detention of more than 40 Hamas members during a search mission for the three teenagers in the West Bank. The Israeli army searched each home in the Hamas stronghold of Hebron and other areas within the occupied West Bank and emerged with the detainees. The move, unprecedented in recent history, prompted a heated response from the Palestinian Information Ministry.
“An entire population is being held hostage to the whims of the Israeli occupation,” stated the Palestinian ministry, which sees the activity as illegal and accused Israel of “inflicting collective punishment.”
Netanyahu’s government and armed forces have an opposing view.
“As long as our boys remain abducted, Hamas will feel pursued, paralyzed and threatened. We are committed to resolving the kidnapping and debilitating Hamas terrorist capacities, its infrastructure and its recruiting institutions,” said Lieutenant-Colonel Peter Lerner, a representative with the Israeli military.
Comments are closed.