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Violent clashes as Palestinians demand justice after teenager's body found Violent clashes as Palestinians demand justice after teenager's body found
(about 2 hours later)
Tensions between Israelis and Palestinians escalated further on Wednesday, with the discovery of a body believed to be that of a 17-year-old Palestinian boy who had been abducted hours earlier from an Arab neighbourhood of East Jerusalem.Tensions between Israelis and Palestinians escalated further on Wednesday, with the discovery of a body believed to be that of a 17-year-old Palestinian boy who had been abducted hours earlier from an Arab neighbourhood of East Jerusalem.
The badly burned body, thought to be that of Mohamed Abu Khdeir, was found in an area of forest to the west of the city a day after the funeral of three Israeli teenagers who were kidnapped and killed three weeks ago. The discovery prompted widespread accusations from Palestinians that he had been murdered by Jewish extremists in a revenge attack.The badly burned body, thought to be that of Mohamed Abu Khdeir, was found in an area of forest to the west of the city a day after the funeral of three Israeli teenagers who were kidnapped and killed three weeks ago. The discovery prompted widespread accusations from Palestinians that he had been murdered by Jewish extremists in a revenge attack.
Most prominent to make that charge was Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas who accused extremist Israeli settlers of "killing and burning a little boy" and demanded Israel "hold the killers accountable ... [and] mete out the strongest punishment against the murderers if it truly wants peace".Most prominent to make that charge was Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas who accused extremist Israeli settlers of "killing and burning a little boy" and demanded Israel "hold the killers accountable ... [and] mete out the strongest punishment against the murderers if it truly wants peace".
While the identity and motive of the kidnappers remain unclear, Palestinians had were quick to blame "settlers" for the killing - allegations that were not immediately refuted by Israeli political figures.
As news of Khdeir's disappearance spread, hundreds of Palestinian youths fought running battles for hours with Israeli police who fired plastic coated rounds and stun grenades as pillars of smoke billowed from burning tyres.As news of Khdeir's disappearance spread, hundreds of Palestinian youths fought running battles for hours with Israeli police who fired plastic coated rounds and stun grenades as pillars of smoke billowed from burning tyres.
Israeli police who are investigating the killing say they have not yet formally identified the body, but the missing boy's family said they had recognised their son.Israeli police who are investigating the killing say they have not yet formally identified the body, but the missing boy's family said they had recognised their son.
Speaking as youths traded stones and tear gas rounds with Israeli police outside her house, Mohamed Abu Khdeir's mother said he was abducted just before 4am on Wednesday morning, as he waited outside the mosque next to his home for pre-dawn Ramadan prayers. Speaking as youths traded stones with Israeli police firing tear gas rounds outside her house, Khdeir's mother said he was abducted just before 4am on Wednesday morning, as he waited outside the mosque next to his home for pre-dawn Ramadan prayers.
"He's a good boy, not a trouble maker," she told the Guardian. "He would stand next to the shops before going to the mosque to pray and then come back home. "He's a good boy, not a troublemaker," she told the Guardian. "He would stand next to the shops before going to the mosque to pray and then come back home.
"My nephew told me someone had been kidnapped and I asked where Mohamed was. He said I don't know, so I told him to go to look for him at the mosque. I called for my son, but there was no reply.""My nephew told me someone had been kidnapped and I asked where Mohamed was. He said I don't know, so I told him to go to look for him at the mosque. I called for my son, but there was no reply."
Israel's prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu called on the police to swiftly investigate the "despicable" murder. Israel's prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, called on the police to swiftly investigate the "despicable" murder.
A senior Israeli police spokesman confirmed the force had received reports early on Wednesday that an Arab youth had been "forcibly pulled into a vehicle" in Shuafat in East Jerusalem – and that an hour later a burned body was discovered in a separate part of the city.A senior Israeli police spokesman confirmed the force had received reports early on Wednesday that an Arab youth had been "forcibly pulled into a vehicle" in Shuafat in East Jerusalem – and that an hour later a burned body was discovered in a separate part of the city.
"We are looking at two possible motives," he said last night, "a criminal motive or a nationalist one." "We are looking at two possible motives," he said, "a criminal motive or a nationalist one."
The abduction took place just hours after the funeral of three Jewish seminary students – Gilad Shaer and US-Israeli national Naftali Frenkel, both 16, and Eyal Yifrah, 19 – who Israel says were abducted and killed by the militant Islamist group Hamas. The ceremony as attended by tens of thousands of mourners and came amid a clamour of calls for retribution. After the funeral, extremist Israeli youths rampaged through Jerusalem chanting "death to Arabs" and assaulting passers by. Around 50 far-right Israeli youths were arrested. The abduction took place just hours after the funeral of three Jewish seminary students – Gilad Shaer and US-Israeli national Naftali Frenkel, both 16, and Eyal Yifrah, 19 – who Israel says were abducted and killed by the militant Islamist group Hamas.
The Obama administration condemned the death of the Palestinian as a "heinous murder" and called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice. In a series of posts on Twitter, national security adviser Susan Rice said yesterday the US was paying close attention to the investigation into the death while Secretary of State John Kerry called the killing "sickening" and said "there are no words to convey adequately our condolences to the Palestinian people." The ceremony was attended by tens of thousands of mourners and came amid a clamour of calls for retribution. After the funeral, extremist Israeli youths rampaged through Jerusalem chanting "death to Arabs" and assaulting passers by. Around 50 far-right Israeli youths were arrested.
The Obama administration condemned the death of the Palestinian as a "heinous murder" and called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice. In a series of posts on Twitter, national security adviser Susan Rice said on Wednesday the US was paying close attention to the investigation into the death while Secretary of State John Kerry called the killing sickening and said: "There are no words to convey adequately our condolences to the Palestinian people."
In a statement, Kerry said: "At this tense and dangerous moment, all parties must do everything … to protect the innocent."In a statement, Kerry said: "At this tense and dangerous moment, all parties must do everything … to protect the innocent."
The killing has ratcheted up tensions between Israelis and Palestinians, and prompted a wave of racial incitement on social media. A Hebrew Facebook page – We are Israel and We Demand Revenge – attracted 35,000 "likes" before it was removed from the social media site on Wednesday night. The page included pictures of Israeli soldiers and police officers, posing with guns and signs and calling for "revenge". The killings of the teenagers have ratcheted up tensions between Israelis and Palestinians, and prompted a wave of racial incitement on social media. A Hebrew Facebook page – We are Israel and We Demand Revenge – attracted 35,000 "likes" before it was removed from the social media site on Wednesday night. The page included pictures of Israeli soldiers and police officers, posing with guns and signs and calling for "revenge".
In another image two young women posted a selfie holding a sign saying: "Hating Arabs is not racism, it's values." Two young women posted a selfie holding a sign saying: "Hating Arabs is not racism, it's values."
The Israeli Defence Forces condemned the involvement of its soldiers. "The IDF views the statements and photographs circulating on social media and attributed to soldiers as unacceptable, a breach of the IDF moral standards, code of ethics and a breach of rules and regulations," a spokesperson said. "Any soldier found to have expressed these abhorrent sentiments online, will be disciplined. Officers have been instructed to do all in their power to prevent activities of this type."The Israeli Defence Forces condemned the involvement of its soldiers. "The IDF views the statements and photographs circulating on social media and attributed to soldiers as unacceptable, a breach of the IDF moral standards, code of ethics and a breach of rules and regulations," a spokesperson said. "Any soldier found to have expressed these abhorrent sentiments online, will be disciplined. Officers have been instructed to do all in their power to prevent activities of this type."
While the identity and motive of the kidnappers remain unclear, Palestinians had were quick to blame "settlers" for the killing - allegations that were not immediately refuted by Israeli political figures. Khdeir's family said he would often sit outside his home drinking water before going to the mosque. Witnesses said he was approached by a car with three passengers that made several passes down the street before stopping. After speaking to him for a moment, the occupants bundled him into the vehicle and drove off.
Mohamed Abu Khdeir's family said he would often sit outside his home drinking water before going to the mosque. Witnesses said he was approached by a car with three passengers that made several passes down the street before stopping. After speaking to him for a moment, the car's occupants bundled him into the vehicle and drove off.
Relatives showed the Guardian shaky CCTV footage which they said showed the teenager talking to the men who abducted him in front of his uncle's shop around 4am on Wednesday morning. Locals said Israeli police had later taken the originals of the footage.Relatives showed the Guardian shaky CCTV footage which they said showed the teenager talking to the men who abducted him in front of his uncle's shop around 4am on Wednesday morning. Locals said Israeli police had later taken the originals of the footage.
"They destroyed Hebron looking for the three Israeli boys," his mother said, referring to the massive manhunt for the murdered Israeli teenagers. "Now they must demolish Israeli houses in the same way they've destroyed our houses."They destroyed Hebron looking for the three Israeli boys," his mother said, referring to the massive manhunt for the murdered Israeli teenagers. "Now they must demolish Israeli houses in the same way they've destroyed our houses.
"Are we not human like them? I want to get even with them the same way they got even with us.""Are we not human like them? I want to get even with them the same way they got even with us."
The killing was condemned by a member of the family of Naftali Frenkel. Yisahi Frenkel told the Ynet website: "If the Arab youth was murdered because of nationalistic motives then this is a horrible and horrendous act. There is no difference between blood and blood. Murder is murder. There is no forgiveness or justification for any murder."The killing was condemned by a member of the family of Naftali Frenkel. Yisahi Frenkel told the Ynet website: "If the Arab youth was murdered because of nationalistic motives then this is a horrible and horrendous act. There is no difference between blood and blood. Murder is murder. There is no forgiveness or justification for any murder."