Israel Matzav

No kidding: Netanyahu says that kids were kidnapped by terrorists

Shavua tov, a good week to everyone.

The names of the three boys who were kidnapped on Thursday night have been cleared for publication. They are Naftali Frankel, 16 from Nof Ayalon near Modi'in; Gilad Shaar, 16, from Talmon in the West Bank near Ramallah, and Eyal Yifrach, 19 from Elad in central Israel near Petah Tikva. Naftali Frankel is a dual American-Israeli citizen.

This evening, Prime Minister Netanyahu made his first public statement about the kidnapping, appearing on television with IDF chief of staff Benny Gantz. 

"Naturally, I cannot share everything we know, not at this time; however, I can say this: Our boys were kidnapped by a terrorist organization. This is absolutely clear; there is no doubt about this," said the prime minister.

Netanyahu said that Israel was doing everything in its power to bring the boys home, and reiterated that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is responsible for their well-being.

"We see Abbas and the PA as responsible for all attacks that come from their territory, either Gaza or the West Bank," he said. "The claim that they are not responsible because it was in Area C is baseless. The attackers came from Palestinian Authority areas and the Authority is responsible."

The prime minister said that the kidnapping was the "true result" of the recent unity government forged between the Fatah and the Hamas that caused Israel to suspend the peace talks with the Palestinian Authority.  

"The unity with Hamas, opens the door for Hamas to control the West Bank. There is no possibility to talk about peace with Israel while you talk about unity with a group that wants to destroy Israel," Netanyahu said.

"In our area states are under threat of attack from extremist Islam and terror groups. Over and over we see that we can trust only ourselves, the IDF, the Shin Bet and Israeli citizens and soldiers," he added.

A cabinet meeting is taking place tonight.

Meanwhile, former Shin Bet chief Yuval Diskin has taken the opportunity to slam the terrorist releases as being the motivation for terrorists to kidnap Israelis.

"We should stop releasing terrorists for kidnapped soldiers, or releasing terrorists instead of implementing a construction freeze [in Judea and Samaria - ed.] during peace talks with the Palestinians - it encourages more kidnappings," Diskin wrote on Facebook. 

Diskin did not encourage the use of force against the PA, however, emphasizing that PA security forces were likely aiding the IDF in locating the boys.

"I call on experts who recommend to use force against Abbas and all against the Palestinians, who say that all our problems will be solved [that way], to explain themselves - I don't get it," Diskin continued. "You must find the missing/abducted boys, and come together with a sense of shared destiny and concern for the boys to make an effort to locate them and return them to their families. However, to talk about 'using force' as if we are not working with the PA to find the boys [is not appropriate], I - and others who have 'been there' for so many years - can attest to that."

We should not be talking to the 'Palestinians' at all - they have opted for terrorism. And we must fight the terror in any way that works. Ariel Sharon had the right idea in 2002, and if need be, that should be done again. 

Labels: kidnapping, Palestinian terrorism, Palestinian terrorists

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 11:07 PM