Israel arrests 80 Palestinians in search of 3 missing young Jews
Monday, June 16th, 2014 2:40:09 by Maleeha Tareen
Israeli security forces have arrested 80 Palestinians in Hebron in the West Bank Sunday, as part of operations to locate the three Israeli students, two aged 16 and one 19, who disappeared Thursday night, while doing hitchhiking south of Bethlehem. They are students of a religious school in a Jewish settlement in occupied territory.
A Hamas spokesman in Gaza has declined, when asked by the British agency, and said Hamas is not responsible for the kidnapping.
In a statement cited by Reuters, the military has confirmed that “in the effort to return the three kidnapped Israeli teens to about 80 Palestinian suspects were arrested during a widespread operation.” Palestinians, however, agents say the figure exceeds hundred arrested and among them there are at least seven members of the Palestinian parliament belonging to Hamas and several prisoners recently released by Israel.
Despite the large size of the searches launched by Israel, the Netanyahu government has released few details of the investigation. Adolescents have been identified as Yifrach Eyal, Gil- ad Sha’er and Naftali Frankel, who also has U.S. citizenship.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that the teens were abducted “by a terrorist organization” although no armed group has claimed responsibility for the “kidnapping”. And he blamed the Palestinian Authority and President Mahmoud Abbas, his party, Fatah formed a unity government with Hamas, which denies Israel’s right to exist. Israeli Prime Minister however, did not provide any details for his claim of Hamas being behind the abductions.
Since the disappearance of the three young Israeli army has been carrying out door to door records, interrogation and investigation both Hebron and the surrounding Palestinian villages.
The case has caused a stir in Israel. It began just a week after Palestinians form their unity government between Hamas and Fatah parties, which were irreconcilable enemies until April. The two Palestinian factions were separated after a brief civil war in 2007, which resulted in the division of the Palestinian territories: Hamas remained in Gaza and Fatah in the West Bank. Reconciliation has come when Hamas is weaker. In 2013 lost their main allies, the Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt, and were deposed in a military coup.
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Posted by Maleeha Tareen
on Jun 16 2014. Filed under Latest News, Middle East.
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