By Barry R.
The kidnapping of three yeshiva students studying in Jewish seminaries two weeks ago, from the area of Bethlehem and Hebron in Judea, has led to a massive search and the arrest of scores of Palestinians, many of whom belong to the terrorist organization Hamas. This is only the first stage of what is to be expected from the establishment of the new Unity Government combining the PLO of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas with Hamas head Ismail Haniyah. The abduction occurred only ten days after the formal formation of what has been described as being a government of technocrats. While Abbas and the Palestinian Authority refuse to recognize Israel as the Jewish homeland, Fatah is dedicated to its total destruction. This led Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to announce at his weekly security cabinet meeting the Sunday after the kidnapping that Hamas was responsible for the missing youth and holding Abbas and the Palestinian Authority responsible for their safe return. “Those who carried out the kidnapping of our youngsters are Hamas people— the same Hamas with whom Abu Mazen has forged a unity government, which has very serious implications,” said Netanyahu referring to Palestinian Authority President Abbas.
A spokesman for Hamas responded to the Prime Minister’s accusations by calling them senseless, saying, “Netanyahu’s statements accusing Hamas of kidnapping the (teenagers) are stupid,” and adding in reference to the then 80 arrested Hamas operatives which included Hamas MPs and former ministers, “These arrests are aimed at breaking the movement and it won’t succeed.”
As of this writing the students have not been found nor has any group come forth to claim having carried out the abduction.
It was this move by Abbas and Hamas in forming a unity government that finally put an end to the recent “peace talks.” Of course the US and the Palestinian Authority blamed Israel for the failed talks sighting the announcement of further construction in the disputed territories but the Israeli government has clearly stated its refusal to negotiate with terrorists and with those bent on the destruction of Israel.
The kidnapping of the teenagers who were attempting to travel to their homes for the weekend at the time of their abduction is only the first of what can be expected from this new “unity” government. Abbas is acting to strengthen himself politically by pulling this move of unification with his sworn enemy Hamas while Hamas is taking advantage of Abbas’s growing political weakness to gain access to Judea and Samaria where, as it now operates from the Gaza Strip will begin to rain down missiles and rockets on settlements and into Israel proper have reached the position where it can easily shell Israel’s two largest cities, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
This in turn will only lead to further military action by the IDF Israeli forces and will probably require an increase in the numbers of military personnel stationed in Judea and Samaria. If this does not trigger a third Intifada it will be used by the Palestinians as propaganda to bring their plight to international bodies where they will now claim that as a so-called state (even Pope Francis referred to Palestine as a “state” when he visited with Abbas last May) Israel’s actions are a clear breach of international law thus even endangering Israel’s position as a member state of the United Nations.
The one good thing may be that such a situation will make further “peace” talks impossible and thus finally put a stop to meaningless Israeli concessions such as the continual unjustified release of terrorist prisoners that have murdered Israeli men, women and children and continue to do so.
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