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Mother of Missing Israeli Teenager Appeals to U.N. for Help Mother of Missing Israeli Teenager Appeals to U.N. for Help
(35 minutes later)
GENEVA — Nearly two weeks after the abduction of three Israeli teenagers as they tried to hitchhike home from the West Bank, the mother of one of them appealed Tuesday at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva for more international action to secure their release. GENEVA — Nearly two weeks after three Israeli teenagers were abducted as they tried to hitchhike home from the West Bank, the mother of one of them appealed Tuesday before the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva for more international action to secure their release.
With the mothers of the two other missing teenagers, Eyal Yifrach, 19, and Gilad Shaar, 16, sitting behind her, Rachel Fraenkel told the council, “I have come here before the U.N., before the world, to ask everyone to do whatever they can to bring our boys back.” With the mothers of the two other missing teenagers, Eyal Yifrach, 19, and Gilad Shaar, 16, sitting behind her, Rachel Fraenkel told the Council, “I have come here before the U.N., before the world, to ask everyone to do whatever they can to bring our boys back.”
Ms. Fraenkel, the mother of Naftali Fraenkel, 16, thanked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and the International Red Cross for condemning the kidnapping and calling for the teenagers’ immediate release. In an emotional address, however, Ms. Fraenkel, who like her son holds joint Israeli and American citizenship, said, “I believe much more could be done and should be done by so many.”Ms. Fraenkel, the mother of Naftali Fraenkel, 16, thanked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and the International Red Cross for condemning the kidnapping and calling for the teenagers’ immediate release. In an emotional address, however, Ms. Fraenkel, who like her son holds joint Israeli and American citizenship, said, “I believe much more could be done and should be done by so many.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has blamed the militant Islamic movement Hamas for the kidnapping, and in conjunction with the search for the kidnappers has opened one of the biggest Israeli military operations in the West Bank in recent years. The Israeli military has said it has arrested about 400 Palestinians during the crackdown, more than half of them Hamas politicians or operatives. The Israeli prime ministerl, Benjamin Netanyahu, has blamed the militant Islamic movement Hamas for the kidnapping, and in conjunction with the search for the kidnappers has opened one of the biggest Israeli military operations in the West Bank in recent years. The Israeli military says it has arrested about 400 Palestinians during the crackdown, more than half of them Hamas politicians or operatives.
On Tuesday, Mr. Netanyahu reiterated his call for President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority to break his recent reconciliation with Hamas, noting that the movement’s political leader, Khaled Meshal, had on Monday evening praised the abduction. “Meshal once again made clear that Hamas remains committed to its war against Israel,” the prime minister said in a meeting with his Romanian counterpart in Jerusalem. “So how can President Abbas make an alliance with these terrorists who extol kidnapping?” On Tuesday, Mr. Netanyahu reiterated his call for President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority to break his recent reconciliation with Hamas, noting that Hamas’ political leader, Khaled Meshal, had on Monday evening praised the abduction. “Meshal once again made clear that Hamas remains committed to its war against Israel,” the prime minister said in a meeting with his Romanian counterpart in Jerusalem. “So how can President Abbas make an alliance with these terrorists who extol kidnapping?”
The United Nations under secretary general for political affairs, Jeffrey Feltman, called on Israel to exercise restraint in its search for the missing teenagers in a meeting with the Security Council on Monday, expressing alarm at the rising death toll from the military’s operations and warning that they could provoke a third intifada.The United Nations under secretary general for political affairs, Jeffrey Feltman, called on Israel to exercise restraint in its search for the missing teenagers in a meeting with the Security Council on Monday, expressing alarm at the rising death toll from the military’s operations and warning that they could provoke a third intifada.
Addressing the council after the three mothers met the United Nations’ deputy high commissioner for human rights, Flavia Pansieri, Ms. Fraenkel described how her son had sent her a text message saying he was on his way home from school. “Since then we’ve heard nothing. No news, no sign of life,” Ms. Fraenkel said. Addressing the council after the three mothers met the deputy United Nations high commissioner for human rights, Flavia Pansieri, Ms. Fraenkel described how her son had sent her a text message saying he was on his way home from school. “Since then we’ve heard nothing. No news, no sign of life,” Ms. Fraenkel said.
“It is wrong to take children, innocent boys and girls, and use them as instruments of any struggle,” Ms. Fraenkel told the council as it held a general debate on the situation in the Palestinian territories.“It is wrong to take children, innocent boys and girls, and use them as instruments of any struggle,” Ms. Fraenkel told the council as it held a general debate on the situation in the Palestinian territories.