This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/24/world/middleeast/bedouin-trackers-hunting-for-clues-to-kidnapped-boys.html

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Bedouin Trackers Hunting for Clues to Kidnapped Boys Bedouin Trackers Hunting for Clues to Kidnapped Boys
(2 months later)
BEIT KAHIL, WEST BANK — Maj. Mohammed Mazarib of the Israel Defense Forces ducked into an old stone hut on a hillside above a riverbed here Monday afternoon, quickly determining that footprints inside belonged to soldiers who had beat him there. He nonetheless drew his rifle and shone its spotlight into a hole on the far side of the hut, then grabbed a stick to poke around. BEIT KAHIL, WEST BANK — Maj. Mohammed Mazarib of the Israel Defense Forces ducked into an old stone hut on a hillside above a riverbed here Monday afternoon, quickly determining that footprints inside belonged to soldiers who had beat him there. He nonetheless drew his rifle and shone its spotlight into a hole on the far side of the hut, then grabbed a stick to poke around.
Nothing but animal droppings — a wolf, he decided. More than a hundred years ago, the cave within a cave was probably used as a cool spot to store food. Now it was one of hundreds of holes Major Mazarib and his men checked and rechecked for any trace of the three Israeli teenagers kidnapped on June 12 from a hitchhiking post about 15 miles away.Nothing but animal droppings — a wolf, he decided. More than a hundred years ago, the cave within a cave was probably used as a cool spot to store food. Now it was one of hundreds of holes Major Mazarib and his men checked and rechecked for any trace of the three Israeli teenagers kidnapped on June 12 from a hitchhiking post about 15 miles away.
“In every corner and in every room and tunnel that I go into, I see them in front of my eyes,” Major Mazarib, 37, commander of the southern West Bank’s specialized tracking unit, said in Hebrew. “As long as there are three missing, we’re going to keep going.”“In every corner and in every room and tunnel that I go into, I see them in front of my eyes,” Major Mazarib, 37, commander of the southern West Bank’s specialized tracking unit, said in Hebrew. “As long as there are three missing, we’re going to keep going.”
Major Mazarib and his 50 trackers, all Bedouin citizens who serve voluntarily in the Israeli military, were among perhaps 1,000 troops who converged Monday around the village of Beit Kahil. The village of 6,500 northwest of Hebron has become a focal point of the sweeping search for the teenagers, their captors, and operatives of Hamas, the militant Islamic movement that the Israeli government says is behind the abduction.Major Mazarib and his 50 trackers, all Bedouin citizens who serve voluntarily in the Israeli military, were among perhaps 1,000 troops who converged Monday around the village of Beit Kahil. The village of 6,500 northwest of Hebron has become a focal point of the sweeping search for the teenagers, their captors, and operatives of Hamas, the militant Islamic movement that the Israeli government says is behind the abduction.
Combat soldiers went house to house. Divers took underwater cameras into two concrete-walled pools. Special forces followed intelligence clues along the riverbed itself.Combat soldiers went house to house. Divers took underwater cameras into two concrete-walled pools. Special forces followed intelligence clues along the riverbed itself.
And the trackers tramped through a cauliflower patch and between grapevines draped over metal wires, examining a dead plant in a green bush, a fresh hole in the dirt, any sign suggesting even the slightest unusualness.And the trackers tramped through a cauliflower patch and between grapevines draped over metal wires, examining a dead plant in a green bush, a fresh hole in the dirt, any sign suggesting even the slightest unusualness.
Earlier that morning, Major Mazarib’s team had found backpacks containing grenades, knives, masks and traces of blood — “It’s not somebody who hopes to be in the area for a picnic,” he said. The day before, the team discovered a tunnel 20 yards deep under a ditch strewn with smelly trash. The day before that, Major Mazarib was summoned to a site that soldiers thought was stained with blood, but he told them it was berries regurgitated by a bat.Earlier that morning, Major Mazarib’s team had found backpacks containing grenades, knives, masks and traces of blood — “It’s not somebody who hopes to be in the area for a picnic,” he said. The day before, the team discovered a tunnel 20 yards deep under a ditch strewn with smelly trash. The day before that, Major Mazarib was summoned to a site that soldiers thought was stained with blood, but he told them it was berries regurgitated by a bat.
A chorus of human-rights groups have condemned Israel’s aggressive West Bank crackdown since the abduction as “collective punishment.” By Monday, some 400 Palestinians had been arrested, and four killed by Israeli troops; more than 1,400 locations had been searched over a week in which movement around Hebron was tightly restricted.A chorus of human-rights groups have condemned Israel’s aggressive West Bank crackdown since the abduction as “collective punishment.” By Monday, some 400 Palestinians had been arrested, and four killed by Israeli troops; more than 1,400 locations had been searched over a week in which movement around Hebron was tightly restricted.
“The rising death toll as a result of Israeli security operations in the West Bank is alarming,” Jeffrey Feltman, the United Nations undersecretary for political affairs, told the Security Council on Monday. A group of leftist Israeli organizations sent a letter to security chiefs on Sunday saying “the measures adopted and their extent do not seem to serve a military need that can justify the damage they have caused.”“The rising death toll as a result of Israeli security operations in the West Bank is alarming,” Jeffrey Feltman, the United Nations undersecretary for political affairs, told the Security Council on Monday. A group of leftist Israeli organizations sent a letter to security chiefs on Sunday saying “the measures adopted and their extent do not seem to serve a military need that can justify the damage they have caused.”
But Israel’s defense minister, Moshe Yaalon, told troops during a visit here Monday morning that theirs was a “holy” mission.But Israel’s defense minister, Moshe Yaalon, told troops during a visit here Monday morning that theirs was a “holy” mission.
“We’ll continue looking until we can rule out every possibility,” Mr. Yaalon said. “As you know, we haven’t started searching today, but we’ll come back again and again, and we’ll come back again with trackers and dogs and specialists, and you with your eyes, to try and find them.”“We’ll continue looking until we can rule out every possibility,” Mr. Yaalon said. “As you know, we haven’t started searching today, but we’ll come back again and again, and we’ll come back again with trackers and dogs and specialists, and you with your eyes, to try and find them.”
There have been no credible claims of responsibility for the kidnapping, or ransom demands. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who first declared Hamas culpable a week ago, has been criticized for failing to publicly provide proof.There have been no credible claims of responsibility for the kidnapping, or ransom demands. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who first declared Hamas culpable a week ago, has been criticized for failing to publicly provide proof.
“We’ve pretty much figured out who are the kidnappers — the actual perpetrators, the supporters, the command structure — and there’s no question, these are members of Hamas,” Mr. Netanyahu said in an interview broadcast Monday on National Public Radio. He added, “We’ll make it public as soon as the investigation enables us to do so.”“We’ve pretty much figured out who are the kidnappers — the actual perpetrators, the supporters, the command structure — and there’s no question, these are members of Hamas,” Mr. Netanyahu said in an interview broadcast Monday on National Public Radio. He added, “We’ll make it public as soon as the investigation enables us to do so.”
Khaled Meshal, the political leader of Hamas, said in an interview on Monday, “I cannot confirm or deny the abduction,” but “blessed are the hands” that did it.Khaled Meshal, the political leader of Hamas, said in an interview on Monday, “I cannot confirm or deny the abduction,” but “blessed are the hands” that did it.
For now, the search goes on.For now, the search goes on.
Under a half-built villa on the far side of the riverbed, Major Mazarib’s trackers entered what seemed to be a well to find a series of rooms — good hiding places, but no hint of the boys, Eyal Yifrach, 19, and Gilad Shaar and Naftali Fraenkel, both 16. A pair of trackers entered a nearby home, where a stern-faced youth named Adam quietly led them through the first floor. They lifted a mattress, peered under an old couch and left within minutes. Another soldier kicked an errant stone, then put it back.Under a half-built villa on the far side of the riverbed, Major Mazarib’s trackers entered what seemed to be a well to find a series of rooms — good hiding places, but no hint of the boys, Eyal Yifrach, 19, and Gilad Shaar and Naftali Fraenkel, both 16. A pair of trackers entered a nearby home, where a stern-faced youth named Adam quietly led them through the first floor. They lifted a mattress, peered under an old couch and left within minutes. Another soldier kicked an errant stone, then put it back.
They are like a forensics unit, in nature. An intact spider web means no one has crossed. Dewdrops on a horse print says it was made that morning. Different-colored dirt close by suggests someone might have recently dug a hole.They are like a forensics unit, in nature. An intact spider web means no one has crossed. Dewdrops on a horse print says it was made that morning. Different-colored dirt close by suggests someone might have recently dug a hole.
“When you buy a newspaper, you look at the headline, you know what’s inside,” Major Mazarib said. “I look at the ground, and it’s like my headline.”“When you buy a newspaper, you look at the headline, you know what’s inside,” Major Mazarib said. “I look at the ground, and it’s like my headline.”
About 1,000 of Israel’s more than 250,000 Bedouin, a Muslim and Arab minority, serve in the military, many in the tracker units that support each geographic division. Most, like Major Mazarib, are from the north.About 1,000 of Israel’s more than 250,000 Bedouin, a Muslim and Arab minority, serve in the military, many in the tracker units that support each geographic division. Most, like Major Mazarib, are from the north.
The father of a 5-year-old daughter and 2-and-a-half-year-old son, he is from something of a royal family of Bedouin in the Israeli Army. An uncle, who changed his name to the Jewish-sounding Amos Yarkoni, joined up before the modern state was founded in 1948, created the trackers and other elite units, and retired as a lieutenant colonel before his death in 1991.The father of a 5-year-old daughter and 2-and-a-half-year-old son, he is from something of a royal family of Bedouin in the Israeli Army. An uncle, who changed his name to the Jewish-sounding Amos Yarkoni, joined up before the modern state was founded in 1948, created the trackers and other elite units, and retired as a lieutenant colonel before his death in 1991.
Major Mazarib is the youngest of seven brothers to make military careers, one of them a lieutenant colonel. He himself has served 20 years, the last two commanding the 70 trackers in the southern West Bank.Major Mazarib is the youngest of seven brothers to make military careers, one of them a lieutenant colonel. He himself has served 20 years, the last two commanding the 70 trackers in the southern West Bank.
“I know the area like the palm of my hand,” he said on Monday as he drove an armored jeep through Beit Kahil. “All of this, to our right and to our left, I walked on foot.”“I know the area like the palm of my hand,” he said on Monday as he drove an armored jeep through Beit Kahil. “All of this, to our right and to our left, I walked on foot.”
The terraced hillside was dotted with green rucksacks: hundreds of soldiers, including the trackers, would spend the night. As the sun beat down, scores crowded under a tree for lunch, a few of them fast asleep. Scores more stalked up a dirt road.The terraced hillside was dotted with green rucksacks: hundreds of soldiers, including the trackers, would spend the night. As the sun beat down, scores crowded under a tree for lunch, a few of them fast asleep. Scores more stalked up a dirt road.
Eleven jeeps were neatly parked on a hill under a house. About 20 soldiers were taking a break in a driveway’s shade. A hundred yards away, another 20 stood on a corner. A few rested on the porch of a mosque. A few others were talking to residents outside houses they had just searched. A Palestinian woman holding a baby ducked into a doorway as Major Mazarib’s jeep passed.Eleven jeeps were neatly parked on a hill under a house. About 20 soldiers were taking a break in a driveway’s shade. A hundred yards away, another 20 stood on a corner. A few rested on the porch of a mosque. A few others were talking to residents outside houses they had just searched. A Palestinian woman holding a baby ducked into a doorway as Major Mazarib’s jeep passed.
At the bottom of a hill, more soldiers were combing what looked like an empty lot.At the bottom of a hill, more soldiers were combing what looked like an empty lot.
“There are soldiers that are looking, but they won’t find anything — you know why?” Major Mazarib asked. “Because I was already there.”“There are soldiers that are looking, but they won’t find anything — you know why?” Major Mazarib asked. “Because I was already there.”