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Israeli leader meets families of missing teenagers as search continues Israeli leader meets families of missing teenagers as search continues
(35 minutes later)
The families of three Israeli teenagers missing in the West Bank met the Israeli prime minister and each other on Tuesday for the first time since their sons were kidnapped, as the search operation in Palestinian cities and villages stretched into its fifth day.The families of three Israeli teenagers missing in the West Bank met the Israeli prime minister and each other on Tuesday for the first time since their sons were kidnapped, as the search operation in Palestinian cities and villages stretched into its fifth day.
In a meeting with the families of Eyal Yifrach, 19, and Gil-ad Sha'er and Naftali Frankel, both 16, Binyamin Netanyahu highlighted Israel's "massive operational and intelligence effort", including an ongoing blockade of the southern city of Hebron and raids in the restive Balata refugee camp, near Nablus.In a meeting with the families of Eyal Yifrach, 19, and Gil-ad Sha'er and Naftali Frankel, both 16, Binyamin Netanyahu highlighted Israel's "massive operational and intelligence effort", including an ongoing blockade of the southern city of Hebron and raids in the restive Balata refugee camp, near Nablus.
The military campaign, named Brother's Keeper, has involved thousands of IDF troops entering major Palestinian cities in numbers not seen in years, and the arrest of more than 200 Palestinians. The military campaign, named Brother's Keeper, has involved thousands of Israeli Defence Forces troops entering Palestinian cities in numbers not seen in years, and the arrest of more than 200 Palestinians.
"In the name of the Israeli public I wish to strengthen your spirit," Netanyahu was quoted as saying in Israeli media. "We are doing everything to find Eyal, Gil-Ad and Naftali.""In the name of the Israeli public I wish to strengthen your spirit," Netanyahu was quoted as saying in Israeli media. "We are doing everything to find Eyal, Gil-Ad and Naftali."
The battle is not only being waged by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) inside the West Bank, but on social media where an outpouring of rival hashtags, comments and campaigns have revealed how strongly the incident has resonated with both Israelis and Palestinians. The battle is not only being waged by the IDF inside the West Bank, but on social media, where an outpouring of rival hashtags, comments and campaigns have revealed how strongly the incident has resonated with Israelis and Palestinians.
The hashtag #BringBackOurBoys has featured in thousands of tweets from both Israel and abroad since news of the disappearance of Yifrach, Frankel and Shaar broke on Friday, referencing the global Twitter campaign calling for the release of hundreds of schoolgirls kidnapped in Nigeria by rebel group Boko Haram earlier this year.The hashtag #BringBackOurBoys has featured in thousands of tweets from both Israel and abroad since news of the disappearance of Yifrach, Frankel and Shaar broke on Friday, referencing the global Twitter campaign calling for the release of hundreds of schoolgirls kidnapped in Nigeria by rebel group Boko Haram earlier this year.
Not all of online responses to the incident have been benign. A Facebook page calling for Israel to kill one Palestinian an hour until the three teenagers are returned has received more than 18,000 "likes" since it was set up on 13 June. Not all the online responses to the incident have been benign. A Facebook page calling for Israel to kill one Palestinian an hour until the three teenagers are returned has received more than 18,000 "likes" since it was set up on 13 June.
A trend has also emerged of Palestinians posting pictures of their children smiling holding up three fingers, apparently in celebration of the capture of the three missing Israelis.
Others have used the #BringBackOurBoys hashtag to draw attention to Israel's detention of young Palestinians, which they claim occurs routinely in the West Bank and has ramped up in the days following the kidnapping. In May, two Palestinian teenagers were shot dead at a protest outside Ofer prison.Others have used the #BringBackOurBoys hashtag to draw attention to Israel's detention of young Palestinians, which they claim occurs routinely in the West Bank and has ramped up in the days following the kidnapping. In May, two Palestinian teenagers were shot dead at a protest outside Ofer prison.
On Monday, the focus of the search appeared to shift to Nablus, where more than 1,000 IDF soldiers raided houses and seized weapons in Balata camp and surrounding villages.On Monday, the focus of the search appeared to shift to Nablus, where more than 1,000 IDF soldiers raided houses and seized weapons in Balata camp and surrounding villages.
The southern city of Hebron remains sealed off by the military, with all major roads closed and workers refused permission to leave. Hebron residents are also being denied access to crossing to Jordan via the Allenby Bridge, said B'Tselem, an Israeli NGO, in a move it condemned as collective punishment. The southern city of Hebron remains sealed off by the military, with all main roads closed and workers refused permission to leave. Hebron residents are also being denied access to crossing to Jordan via the Allenby bridge, said B'Tselem, an Israeli non-governmental organisation, in a move it condemned as collective punishment.
"Security forces have extensive operational powers to achieve the rightful and essential objective of finding the abducted teens. Yet these powers are not unlimited, and not all measures are lawful," the NGO said in a statement. "Security forces have extensive operational powers to achieve the rightful and essential objective of finding the abducted teens. Yet these powers are not unlimited, and not all measures are lawful," the NGO said.
"The authorities cannot impose blanket, open-ended travel restrictions on the hundreds of thousands residents of Hebron.""The authorities cannot impose blanket, open-ended travel restrictions on the hundreds of thousands residents of Hebron."
No group has claimed responsibility for kidnapping the teenagers, but Hamas has been roundly blamed by Israel, which has imposed travel restrictions on party members.No group has claimed responsibility for kidnapping the teenagers, but Hamas has been roundly blamed by Israel, which has imposed travel restrictions on party members.
Israel's cabinet agreed on Tuesday to "worsen" the condition of Hamas prisoners in Israeli jails in response to the incident, Haaretz reported.Israel's cabinet agreed on Tuesday to "worsen" the condition of Hamas prisoners in Israeli jails in response to the incident, Haaretz reported.
Naftali Bennett, a far-right member of Netanyahu's security cabinet, told army radio on Tuesday: "We are turning Hamas membership into a ticket to hell."Naftali Bennett, a far-right member of Netanyahu's security cabinet, told army radio on Tuesday: "We are turning Hamas membership into a ticket to hell."