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2014 Gush Etzion kidnapping and murder

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On June 12, 2014 three Israeli teens went missing and Israeli officials assume they were kidnapped.[1] Three Muslim Jihadist groups have claimed responsibility for the kidnappings, The West Bank Branch of Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, Brigades of Global Jihad, and Liberators Battalion of Hebron.[2]

The three missing teens are Gil-Ad Shaer, 16, from Talmon, Naftali Frankel, 16, from Nof Ayalon, and Eyal Yifrah, 19, from Elad.[3] Frankel is a dual Israeli-American citizen.[2]

Palestinian Fatah and Hamas activists called on Palestinian shopkeepers and businessmen in Hebron, via Facebook, Twitter and other social media, to destroy any CCTV footage that could be used by Israel to help locate the teens. Fatah activists in Hebron also confiscated security cameras in order to frustrate the search.[4]

Hamas, the Palestinian group which controls the Gaza Strip, called the perpetrators of the abduction "heroes" and condemned reported cooperation on the part of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the search for the teens.[5]

In the Gaza Strip, families of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel celebrated the kidnapping by handing out sweets to passersby from a protest tent which had been erected to express solidarity.[4][6] Gazan Palestinians also released a song on social networks mocking the kidnappings, and called for additional abductions.[7] Many Palestinians support the kidnap of Israelis. In 2011, Israel released hundreds of Palestinian prisoners convicted of serious crimes, including murder, in exchange for Gilad Shalit, an Israeli kidnapped by Palestinian militants.[8]

International response

Israelis began a social media campaign advocating for the safe return of the teens, under the banner "Bring Back Our Boys". The label alluded to the recent "Bring Back Our Girls" campaign following the Chibok schoolgirl kidnapping in Nigeria.[9]

  • On 14 June, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon released a statement condemning the abduction, expressing solidarity with the families of the abducted, and calling for their immediate release.[10]
  • On 13 June, the European Union ambassador to Israel tweeted that he was "deeply concerned" about the events and was hoping for the safe return of the teens.[11]
  • On 13 June, the United States said that it was "very concerned" about the well-being of the teens, and that it was working with Israel and the Palestinian Authority to resolve the situation.[11]
  • On 14 June, Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird expressed deep concern over the event and urged Palestinian security authorities, "who have been trained through Canadian and US leadership", to make every effort to ensure the safe return of the children to their families.[11]
  • Spain condemned the kidnapping, along with Palestinian rocket attacks on Israel, and called for restraint.[11]

See also

References

  1. ^ KERSHNER, ISABEL (13 June 2014). "Israeli Teenagers Said to Be Kidnapped in West Bank". The New York Times. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
  2. ^ a b "Israel says 3 missing teens were kidnapped by a terrorist group". The Washington Post. 14 June 2014. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
  3. ^ "LIVE BLOG: Netanyahu says three teens kidnapped by terror organization". Haaretz. June 15, 2014. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
  4. ^ a b Khaled Abu Toameh, Palestinian activists call for destruction of CCTV footage in attempt to frustrate IDF search, Jerusalem Post 15-06-2014
  5. ^ Hamas angered by PA help in search for missing teens, Reuters (published in Ynet News 14-06-2014
  6. ^ Gaza residents celebrate at news of missing Israeli teens, Ynet News 14-06-2014
  7. ^ Hamas video: Fight against Israeli forces in West Bank, Ynet News 15-06-2014
  8. ^ Bryant, Christa (14/06/2014). "Why were kidnapped Israeli teens hitchhiking in the West Bank?". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 15/06/2014. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  9. ^ מחאה ברשת: Bring Back Our Boys, Ynet 14-06-2014
  10. ^ UN chief condemns kidnapping of teens in West Bank, Times of Israel 15-06-2014
  11. ^ a b c d US, Canada and Spain express concern over kidnapping, Times of Israel 15-06-2014
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