Mideast situation/Kidnapping of Israeli teens in West Bank – Letter/Annex from Israel

Identical letters dated 17 June 2014 from the Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council

Since 12 June 2014, the citizens of Israel have held their breath and waited to hear news of the Israeli teenagers kidnapped by Hamas terrorists. The three boys, 16-year-old Gilad Sha'er, 16-year-old Naftali Frenkel and 19-year-old Eyal Yifrah, were taken captive while making their way home from school.

The Government of Israel holds the Palestinian Authority responsible for the well-being of the kidnapped teens. The kidnapping took place just 10 days after Fatah and Hamas formed a unity government. Israel has gotten a taste of the bitter tragedy that comes with Hamas in a Palestinian government. Terrorism is what they know, it is what they preach, and it is what they teach.

Rather than distancing themselves from the vile kidnapping, official Palestinian Authority media published cartoons celebrating the kidnapping of the three Israelis (see annex). All those in the international community who rushed to bless this marriage must now look into the eyes of the heartbroken parents and have the courage to take responsibility by condemning the kidnapping.

The three Israeli boys have been missing for five days. I ask the Security Council: When will you condemn the kidnapping? When will you denounce terror attacks against innocent civilians? When will you take action to ensure our boys return home safely?

I call on the Security Council to immediately and unequivocally condemn the kidnapping. It must also call on President Abbas to disarm the military wing of Hamas; halt the smuggling and manufacturing of weapons; and stop the rockets fired from Gaza into Israel.

I should be grateful if you would have the present letter and its annex circulated as a document of the Security Council. I wish to inform you that an identical letter has been sent to Mr. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations.

(Signed) Ron Prosor

Ambassador

Permanent Representative

Annex to the identical letters dated 17 June 2014 from the Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council

Cartoon printed in Al-Hayat Al-Jadida (official Palestinian Authority daily) on 15 June 2014

Instead of the famous logo of the World Cup 2014, in which three victorious hands hold the globe, together creating the prestigious trophy, the Palestinian Authority cartoon shows a "trophy" of three hands holding three people with their hands up in surrender. Instead of the text "Brazil" below the "trophy", the word "Khalil" is written, which is Arabic for Hebron, a city near where the Israeli youths were kidnapped.