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| Killing of 3 Israeli Teenagers Loosely Tied to Hamas, Court Documents Show | Killing of 3 Israeli Teenagers Loosely Tied to Hamas, Court Documents Show |
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| JERUSALEM — The abduction and killing of three Israeli teenagers in the occupied West Bank in June, which helped fuel the biggest escalation in Palestinian-Israeli tensions in years, was executed by a local Palestinian clan that included known Hamas operatives and was financed with about $60,000, mostly obtained through a relative who worked for a Hamas foundation in Gaza, according to official Israeli documents released on Thursday. | |
| But the documents, related to an investigation and indictment of the suspected leader of the kidnappers, provide no evidence that the top leaders of Hamas directed or had prior knowledge of the plot to abduct the three Israeli youths. | But the documents, related to an investigation and indictment of the suspected leader of the kidnappers, provide no evidence that the top leaders of Hamas directed or had prior knowledge of the plot to abduct the three Israeli youths. |
| Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel and his subordinates asserted as fact that the kidnapping and killing of the three youths was orchestrated by Hamas, which Israeli regards as a terrorist group committed to its destruction. He responded by ordering a severe crackdown on Hamas suspects and institutions in the West Bank. | Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel and his subordinates asserted as fact that the kidnapping and killing of the three youths was orchestrated by Hamas, which Israeli regards as a terrorist group committed to its destruction. He responded by ordering a severe crackdown on Hamas suspects and institutions in the West Bank. |
| Though the documents released on Thursday do not necessarily undercut the Israel government’s assertions, they present a more nuanced picture. | Though the documents released on Thursday do not necessarily undercut the Israel government’s assertions, they present a more nuanced picture. |
| The killing of the three teenagers led to the kidnapping and killing of a Palestinian teenager — said to be revenge by Israeli extremists — violent Palestinian protests, rocket attacks on Israel by Gaza-based militants, and an escalation into a 50-day war, halted last week, that left more than 2,100 Gazans and more than 70 Israelis dead. | The killing of the three teenagers led to the kidnapping and killing of a Palestinian teenager — said to be revenge by Israeli extremists — violent Palestinian protests, rocket attacks on Israel by Gaza-based militants, and an escalation into a 50-day war, halted last week, that left more than 2,100 Gazans and more than 70 Israelis dead. |
| The new details on the abduction and killing of the three Israelis emerged from the charge sheet of Hussam Qawasmeh, described as the logistical commander of the kidnapping squad, who was indicted in a military court on Thursday, as well as other documents. | The new details on the abduction and killing of the three Israelis emerged from the charge sheet of Hussam Qawasmeh, described as the logistical commander of the kidnapping squad, who was indicted in a military court on Thursday, as well as other documents. |
| They depict the plot as more of a family affair, a local initiative organized and executed by members of a clan in Hebron, the West Bank city that has often been a flash point of Israeli-Palestinian tensions, and a few additional associates. | They depict the plot as more of a family affair, a local initiative organized and executed by members of a clan in Hebron, the West Bank city that has often been a flash point of Israeli-Palestinian tensions, and a few additional associates. |
| “At this stage it appears that this was a local structure with funding from Hamas sources in Gaza,” an Israeli security official with knowledge of the investigation said Thursday, speaking on the condition of anonymity in line with his agency’s protocol. | “At this stage it appears that this was a local structure with funding from Hamas sources in Gaza,” an Israeli security official with knowledge of the investigation said Thursday, speaking on the condition of anonymity in line with his agency’s protocol. |
| The two men suspected of actually carrying out the kidnappings and killings are still at large. | The two men suspected of actually carrying out the kidnappings and killings are still at large. |
| Most of the roughly $60,000 raised for the operation was sent by Mr. Qawesmeh’s brother, Mahmoud, a Hamas associate and former prisoner of Israel who is confined to Gaza and who works for an association, Al-Nour, that the documents say belongs to Hamas. It was not clear from the documents whether the money had come from the association. | Most of the roughly $60,000 raised for the operation was sent by Mr. Qawesmeh’s brother, Mahmoud, a Hamas associate and former prisoner of Israel who is confined to Gaza and who works for an association, Al-Nour, that the documents say belongs to Hamas. It was not clear from the documents whether the money had come from the association. |
| No other details were provided about the money’s origins, but the Israeli security official said the request for funds was made in vague terms, for a “military operation,” and not specifically for a kidnapping. | No other details were provided about the money’s origins, but the Israeli security official said the request for funds was made in vague terms, for a “military operation,” and not specifically for a kidnapping. |
| The documents say the money was mainly used to buy two cars — one for the actual kidnappings and another as a getaway vehicle — and weapons. | The documents say the money was mainly used to buy two cars — one for the actual kidnappings and another as a getaway vehicle — and weapons. |
| Hamas leaders have long promoted a strategy of capturing Israeli soldiers for use as bargaining leverage for the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. According to the documents, this was the motive of the kidnappers. | Hamas leaders have long promoted a strategy of capturing Israeli soldiers for use as bargaining leverage for the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. According to the documents, this was the motive of the kidnappers. |
| The precise nature of the Hamas connection is significant because the kidnapping and killing of the three teenagers — Eyal Yifrach, 19, and Gilad Shaar and Naftali Frankel, both 16 — convulsed Israel and the occupied territories in ways that hardened the positions of both sides in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. | The precise nature of the Hamas connection is significant because the kidnapping and killing of the three teenagers — Eyal Yifrach, 19, and Gilad Shaar and Naftali Frankel, both 16 — convulsed Israel and the occupied territories in ways that hardened the positions of both sides in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. |
| The Hamas affiliations of the suspects were used by Israel to justify a major crackdown against Hamas and its infrastructure in the West Bank, leading to scores of arrests. As tensions escalated, Hamas militants in Gaza fired rockets into Israel, which eventually turned into a full-blown confrontation. | The Hamas affiliations of the suspects were used by Israel to justify a major crackdown against Hamas and its infrastructure in the West Bank, leading to scores of arrests. As tensions escalated, Hamas militants in Gaza fired rockets into Israel, which eventually turned into a full-blown confrontation. |
| Mr. Netanyahu also seized on the kidnappings to strengthen his argument for rejecting a new Palestinian government that had resulted from a reconciliation pact reached in April between President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority and the Hamas leadership. | Mr. Netanyahu also seized on the kidnappings to strengthen his argument for rejecting a new Palestinian government that had resulted from a reconciliation pact reached in April between President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority and the Hamas leadership. |
| Hours after the funerals of the abducted Israeli teenagers, a Palestinian teenager in Jerusalem, Muhammad Abu Khdeir, 16, was abducted, beaten and burned to death. Three Israelis have been indicted in that case, which set off days of rioting in East Jerusalem. | Hours after the funerals of the abducted Israeli teenagers, a Palestinian teenager in Jerusalem, Muhammad Abu Khdeir, 16, was abducted, beaten and burned to death. Three Israelis have been indicted in that case, which set off days of rioting in East Jerusalem. |
| Hamas leaders praised the kidnapping and killing of the Israeli teenagers and have since acknowledged that the perpetrators were Hamas operatives. They have not claimed any direct responsibility. | Hamas leaders praised the kidnapping and killing of the Israeli teenagers and have since acknowledged that the perpetrators were Hamas operatives. They have not claimed any direct responsibility. |
| In an interview with Yahoo News last month, Khaled Meshal, the exiled political leader of Hamas, said, “We were not aware of this action taken by this group of Hamas members in advance.” | In an interview with Yahoo News last month, Khaled Meshal, the exiled political leader of Hamas, said, “We were not aware of this action taken by this group of Hamas members in advance.” |
| “We learned about these confessions from the Israeli investigation,” Mr. Meshal added. He went on to describe the kidnapping as a legitimate act of Palestinian resistance against Israeli occupation. | “We learned about these confessions from the Israeli investigation,” Mr. Meshal added. He went on to describe the kidnapping as a legitimate act of Palestinian resistance against Israeli occupation. |
| Another senior Hamas official who currently lives in Turkey, Saleh al-Arouri, one of the founders of Hamas’s military wing, was taped at an Islamic scholars’ conference in Istanbul describing the kidnapping of the three Israeli teenagers as “a heroic operation by the Qassam Brigades,” referring to Hamas’s military wing. | Another senior Hamas official who currently lives in Turkey, Saleh al-Arouri, one of the founders of Hamas’s military wing, was taped at an Islamic scholars’ conference in Istanbul describing the kidnapping of the three Israeli teenagers as “a heroic operation by the Qassam Brigades,” referring to Hamas’s military wing. |
| Another senior Israeli government official argued that it was fair to blame Hamas, as an organization, for the kidnappings. | Another senior Israeli government official argued that it was fair to blame Hamas, as an organization, for the kidnappings. |
| “These people in Hebron are known Hamas activists and it is clear that Hamas leaders have called on their people to carry out kidnappings — that was the message coming from the leadership,” the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to be able to discuss intelligence and security issues. “And it is still possible that we will find evidence of a direct connection,” he added. | “These people in Hebron are known Hamas activists and it is clear that Hamas leaders have called on their people to carry out kidnappings — that was the message coming from the leadership,” the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to be able to discuss intelligence and security issues. “And it is still possible that we will find evidence of a direct connection,” he added. |