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Abduction of Young Israeli Hitchhikers Spurs Debate on Conduct Abduction of Young Israeli Hitchhikers Spurs Debate on Conduct
(25 days later)
NOF AYALON, Israel — The three Israeli teenagers kidnapped by Palestinian militants while hitching a ride in the West Bank last week have provoked an outpouring of sympathy in Israel’s ordinarily fractious society, with nonstop news coverage and gatherings of thousands who have recited psalms for the safe return of the hostages, all students at yeshivas in West Bank settlements.NOF AYALON, Israel — The three Israeli teenagers kidnapped by Palestinian militants while hitching a ride in the West Bank last week have provoked an outpouring of sympathy in Israel’s ordinarily fractious society, with nonstop news coverage and gatherings of thousands who have recited psalms for the safe return of the hostages, all students at yeshivas in West Bank settlements.
But the abductions also have stirred more hushed debate over the conduct of Jewish settlers in the West Bank — particularly what many consider the cavalier practice of hitchhiking — and the price that Israel has paid to redeem its captives.But the abductions also have stirred more hushed debate over the conduct of Jewish settlers in the West Bank — particularly what many consider the cavalier practice of hitchhiking — and the price that Israel has paid to redeem its captives.
The collective concern has been on display in Nof Ayalon, a religious community that straddles the 1949 armistice line between Israel and the West Bank and where one of the three youths, Naftali Fraenkel, 16, grew up. Israeli flags fluttered in front yards this week, left from recent Independence Day celebrations. The collective concern has been on display in Nof Ayalon, a religious community that straddles the 1949 armistice line and where one of the three youths, Naftali Fraenkel, 16, grew up. Israeli flags fluttered in front yards this week, left from recent Independence Day celebrations.
“We very much feel that everybody is with us,” Ittael Fraenkel, Naftali’s aunt, said outside the family home shaded by trees and bougainvillea, as teenage volunteers guarded the entrance to protect the family’s privacy from Israeli news media staked out on Moriah Street.“We very much feel that everybody is with us,” Ittael Fraenkel, Naftali’s aunt, said outside the family home shaded by trees and bougainvillea, as teenage volunteers guarded the entrance to protect the family’s privacy from Israeli news media staked out on Moriah Street.
Secular Israelis elsewhere said they shared the pain. “They are part of us,” Nava Nissim, 51, a kindergarten teacher from Herzliya, said at the gleaming Azrieli Center shopping mall in Tel Aviv, the urban counterpart to Israel’s religious settlements.Secular Israelis elsewhere said they shared the pain. “They are part of us,” Nava Nissim, 51, a kindergarten teacher from Herzliya, said at the gleaming Azrieli Center shopping mall in Tel Aviv, the urban counterpart to Israel’s religious settlements.
Michal Birman, 51, of Kibbutz Maabarot, said she had been glued to the television and Internet. “It’s a small country,” she said. “When something bad happens, the feeling is that it could happen to you.” Michal Birman, 51, of Kibbutz Maabarot said she had been glued to the television and Internet. “It’s a small country,” she said. “When something bad happens, the feeling is that it could happen to you.”
But Ms. Birman added that she was “a little angry about the lack of responsibility” of Israeli youths hitchhiking at night in the West Bank. Another shopper browsing at a bookstore added that the West Bank was “prone to trouble.”But Ms. Birman added that she was “a little angry about the lack of responsibility” of Israeli youths hitchhiking at night in the West Bank. Another shopper browsing at a bookstore added that the West Bank was “prone to trouble.”
Settlers say the infrequent bus service leaves people no option but to hitchhike. Nitzan Nuriel, a former director of the counterterrorism bureau in the Israeli prime minister’s office, told Israeli television over the weekend that among the settlers, hitchhiking was also an ideology, a statement about who owns the disputed territory, which Palestinians and most of the world consider occupied.Settlers say the infrequent bus service leaves people no option but to hitchhike. Nitzan Nuriel, a former director of the counterterrorism bureau in the Israeli prime minister’s office, told Israeli television over the weekend that among the settlers, hitchhiking was also an ideology, a statement about who owns the disputed territory, which Palestinians and most of the world consider occupied.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has blamed Hamas, the Islamic militant group, for the abductions. On Monday he told Israelis to prepare for the possibility that retrieving the three youths “may take time.” He also told President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority, in a rare telephone conversation, that he expected his help in finding the teenagers and capturing their abductors. Mr. Netanyahu also said he warned Mr. Abbas over the Palestinian president’s recent reconciliation accord with Hamas, which Israel’s government has called unacceptable.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has blamed Hamas, the Islamic militant group, for the abductions. On Monday he told Israelis to prepare for the possibility that retrieving the three youths “may take time.” He also told President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority, in a rare telephone conversation, that he expected his help in finding the teenagers and capturing their abductors. Mr. Netanyahu also said he warned Mr. Abbas over the Palestinian president’s recent reconciliation accord with Hamas, which Israel’s government has called unacceptable.
Mr. Abbas’s office on Monday condemned both the kidnapping and the Israeli military campaign that followed it, according to Wafa, the official Palestinian news agency.Mr. Abbas’s office on Monday condemned both the kidnapping and the Israeli military campaign that followed it, according to Wafa, the official Palestinian news agency.
Nabil Abu Rudeineh, Mr. Abbas’s spokesman, said the Palestinian president had called Mr. Netanyahu because he “wanted to assure the Israelis that we don’t accept these kinds of actions,” referring to the kidnapping. In a telephone interview Mr. Abu Rudeineh said, “The political connection between the two men is very important at this point,” adding, “We are looking, together, to finish this issue peacefully.”Nabil Abu Rudeineh, Mr. Abbas’s spokesman, said the Palestinian president had called Mr. Netanyahu because he “wanted to assure the Israelis that we don’t accept these kinds of actions,” referring to the kidnapping. In a telephone interview Mr. Abu Rudeineh said, “The political connection between the two men is very important at this point,” adding, “We are looking, together, to finish this issue peacefully.”
Naftali, who also holds United States citizenship, and a friend, Gilad Shaar, 16, boarders at a prestigious yeshiva in the Kfar Etzion settlement south of Jerusalem, set out about 10 p.m. on Thursday to hitchhike home for the weekend. Gilad is from the settlement of Talmon in the central West Bank. Eyal Yifrach, 19, from Elad, an ultra-Orthodox town in central Israel, joined them.Naftali, who also holds United States citizenship, and a friend, Gilad Shaar, 16, boarders at a prestigious yeshiva in the Kfar Etzion settlement south of Jerusalem, set out about 10 p.m. on Thursday to hitchhike home for the weekend. Gilad is from the settlement of Talmon in the central West Bank. Eyal Yifrach, 19, from Elad, an ultra-Orthodox town in central Israel, joined them.
About 20 minutes later one managed to call the police and whisper that he was being kidnapped. The police assumed it was a prank call until the parents of the teenagers began reporting them missing hours later.About 20 minutes later one managed to call the police and whisper that he was being kidnapped. The police assumed it was a prank call until the parents of the teenagers began reporting them missing hours later.
In 2011 Eyal had posted an appeal on his Facebook page for the release of Sgt. Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier held captive by Hamas militants in Gaza for five years. Months later, Sergeant Shalit was released in exchange for 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, many of them convicted of deadly attacks on Israelis.In 2011 Eyal had posted an appeal on his Facebook page for the release of Sgt. Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier held captive by Hamas militants in Gaza for five years. Months later, Sergeant Shalit was released in exchange for 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, many of them convicted of deadly attacks on Israelis.
The trauma of previous abductions of soldiers and civilians remains etched in the Israeli psyche and the return of captives or their corpses has long been a priority, even in deals many have considered lopsided.The trauma of previous abductions of soldiers and civilians remains etched in the Israeli psyche and the return of captives or their corpses has long been a priority, even in deals many have considered lopsided.
But after several such deals, Israelis are increasingly wary of what they view as being caught in a cycle.But after several such deals, Israelis are increasingly wary of what they view as being caught in a cycle.
Gadi Wolfsfeld, a professor of communications at the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya, said that in many people’s eyes, the Shalit deal had encouraged more kidnapping.Gadi Wolfsfeld, a professor of communications at the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya, said that in many people’s eyes, the Shalit deal had encouraged more kidnapping.
“This time things could develop differently because of the public concern over the price that was paid,” he said.“This time things could develop differently because of the public concern over the price that was paid,” he said.
Lavi Hovav, 67, a resident of Shaalvim, a religious kibbutz bordering on Nof Ayalon, whose son attended kindergarten with Naftali, recalled another time, in 1976. An Air France plane was hijacked to Entebbe, Uganda, where more than 100 Israelis and Jewish passengers were held as hostages. Most, including the mother of a member of Shaalvim, according to Mr. Hovav, were rescued by Israeli commandos.Lavi Hovav, 67, a resident of Shaalvim, a religious kibbutz bordering on Nof Ayalon, whose son attended kindergarten with Naftali, recalled another time, in 1976. An Air France plane was hijacked to Entebbe, Uganda, where more than 100 Israelis and Jewish passengers were held as hostages. Most, including the mother of a member of Shaalvim, according to Mr. Hovav, were rescued by Israeli commandos.
“Then, too, we recited psalms,” he said.“Then, too, we recited psalms,” he said.