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| Three Bodies Found Believed to Be Missing Israelis | Three Bodies Found Believed to Be Missing Israelis |
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| JERUSALEM — Israeli searchers on Monday found three bodies believed to be those of the missing Israeli teenagers who were abducted more than two weeks ago in the occupied West Bank, setting off a new crisis with the Palestinians and raising the risk of further violent confrontations. | JERUSALEM — Israeli searchers on Monday found three bodies believed to be those of the missing Israeli teenagers who were abducted more than two weeks ago in the occupied West Bank, setting off a new crisis with the Palestinians and raising the risk of further violent confrontations. |
| Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened an emergency cabinet meeting as calls for a tough response escalated. The Israeli military sealed off the Hebron homes of the two Palestinian suspects it has said were responsible for the abductions, and witnesses said both homes were destroyed. Clashes between Palestinians and Israeli settlers in the Hebron area erupted in the hours after the discovery of the bodies was announced. | Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened an emergency cabinet meeting as calls for a tough response escalated. The Israeli military sealed off the Hebron homes of the two Palestinian suspects it has said were responsible for the abductions, and witnesses said both homes were destroyed. Clashes between Palestinians and Israeli settlers in the Hebron area erupted in the hours after the discovery of the bodies was announced. |
| “With very heavy sorrow we found three bodies this evening and all the signs point to them being the bodies of our three kidnapped youths,” Mr. Netanyahu said. | “With very heavy sorrow we found three bodies this evening and all the signs point to them being the bodies of our three kidnapped youths,” Mr. Netanyahu said. |
| Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, a senior spokesman for the Israeli military, said the three bodies were found at 5 p.m. “under a pile of rocks in an open field” between Halhul and Beit Kahil, two Palestinian towns near Hebron. The location was an area that thousands of soldiers had been scouring for more than a week. The bodies “are being transferred for forensic identification,” Colonel Lerner said, declining to say whether they were clothed or otherwise contained visual clues of identity. “We have informed the families that we found the bodies and that final identification is pending.” | Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, a senior spokesman for the Israeli military, said the three bodies were found at 5 p.m. “under a pile of rocks in an open field” between Halhul and Beit Kahil, two Palestinian towns near Hebron. The location was an area that thousands of soldiers had been scouring for more than a week. The bodies “are being transferred for forensic identification,” Colonel Lerner said, declining to say whether they were clothed or otherwise contained visual clues of identity. “We have informed the families that we found the bodies and that final identification is pending.” |
| The disappearances set off an uproar in Israel and deeply aggravated the already strained relations between the Israelis and the Palestinian Authority, even though it had deployed its own security forces to help with the search. | The disappearances set off an uproar in Israel and deeply aggravated the already strained relations between the Israelis and the Palestinian Authority, even though it had deployed its own security forces to help with the search. |
| The Palestinian Authority had just taken steps to form a unity government backed by Hamas, the militant group that controls the Gaza Strip. Israeli officials, who have rejected that government, have identified as prime suspects two Palestinians from Hebron that they say are affiliated with Hamas. | The Palestinian Authority had just taken steps to form a unity government backed by Hamas, the militant group that controls the Gaza Strip. Israeli officials, who have rejected that government, have identified as prime suspects two Palestinians from Hebron that they say are affiliated with Hamas. |
| Hamas did not take responsibility, but praised the abductions and bitterly criticized the Palestinian Authority for cooperating in the search. At one point, Palestinians smashed several of the authority’s police cars and stormed its police station in the central square of Ramallah, where it is based. | Hamas did not take responsibility, but praised the abductions and bitterly criticized the Palestinian Authority for cooperating in the search. At one point, Palestinians smashed several of the authority’s police cars and stormed its police station in the central square of Ramallah, where it is based. |
| The intensity and scope of the Israeli security operation to find the missing teenagers was the biggest in the West Bank in more than a decade and raised concerns that the Israelis were imposing what critics called a collective punishment on the broader Palestinian population. At least five Palestinians have been killed in the security operation. | The intensity and scope of the Israeli security operation to find the missing teenagers was the biggest in the West Bank in more than a decade and raised concerns that the Israelis were imposing what critics called a collective punishment on the broader Palestinian population. At least five Palestinians have been killed in the security operation. |
| Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a spokesman for President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority, said that Mr. Abbas had called an emergency meeting of the Palestinian leadership for Tuesday to assess the consequences of the latest developments. | Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a spokesman for President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority, said that Mr. Abbas had called an emergency meeting of the Palestinian leadership for Tuesday to assess the consequences of the latest developments. |
| Early Tuesday, Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman, issued a statement emphasizing that “no Palestinian group, Hamas or any other group,” had taken responsibility. “We reject all Israeli allegations and threats against us,” he said. “We are already used to it and will know how to defend ourselves.” | |
| Colonel Lerner said he could not confirm that the victims had been shot, though a senior Israeli official who spoke on the condition of anonymity said they had been, most likely shortly after the abduction. Repeating the official Israeli view of the past two weeks, Colonel Lerner said “the terrorists who carried this out were Hamas terrorists,” and vowed that “we will continue our mission in order to bring the perpetrators of the abduction to justice.” | Colonel Lerner said he could not confirm that the victims had been shot, though a senior Israeli official who spoke on the condition of anonymity said they had been, most likely shortly after the abduction. Repeating the official Israeli view of the past two weeks, Colonel Lerner said “the terrorists who carried this out were Hamas terrorists,” and vowed that “we will continue our mission in order to bring the perpetrators of the abduction to justice.” |
| In Hebron, Israeli soldiers returned Monday night to the neighborhood of Israel’s two prime suspects in the kidnapping, Marwan Qawasmeh and Amer Abu Aisha, in what appeared to be a prelude to the demolition of their homes. | |
| Colonel Lerner said he could not immediately confirm Palestinian witness accounts that both homes were blown up. But Mr. Abu Aisha’s mother, Nadia, said the Israelis had demolished her house, as they did after another son was killed in 2005 when he tried to hurl an explosive at soldiers. | |
| She said Mr. Abu Aisha had left behind three children."I will educate them to be for jihad,” she said. “I promise they will be as their father, to be fighters and to be martyrs.” | |
| The Israeli soldiers blocked roads around the area and fired tear gas to disperse a crowd of 100 Palestinian protesters, some throwing stones. Clashes also broke out around the entrances to Hebron between Palestinians and Israeli settlers. | The Israeli soldiers blocked roads around the area and fired tear gas to disperse a crowd of 100 Palestinian protesters, some throwing stones. Clashes also broke out around the entrances to Hebron between Palestinians and Israeli settlers. |
| Israeli television reports said the bodies had been discovered by volunteers, guides from the Kfar Etzion Field School. The television accounts said the bodies had been partly covered and appeared to have been dumped hurriedly, probably soon after the abduction. | Israeli television reports said the bodies had been discovered by volunteers, guides from the Kfar Etzion Field School. The television accounts said the bodies had been partly covered and appeared to have been dumped hurriedly, probably soon after the abduction. |
| The three teenagers — Eyal Yifrach, 19; Gilad Shaar, 16; and Naftali Fraenkel, 16, who also holds United States citizenship — were last seen entering a car at about 10 p.m. on June 12 at a hitchhiking stop in the Gush Etzion settlement block, not far from the area where the bodies were found. | The three teenagers — Eyal Yifrach, 19; Gilad Shaar, 16; and Naftali Fraenkel, 16, who also holds United States citizenship — were last seen entering a car at about 10 p.m. on June 12 at a hitchhiking stop in the Gush Etzion settlement block, not far from the area where the bodies were found. |
| One of the abducted youths managed to place an emergency call to the police and whispered that he had been kidnapped, but the police initially thought it was a prank call. The search only started hours later when some of the parents reported their sons missing. | One of the abducted youths managed to place an emergency call to the police and whispered that he had been kidnapped, but the police initially thought it was a prank call. The search only started hours later when some of the parents reported their sons missing. |
| At 8 p.m. Monday, dozens of military and police vehicles had completely blocked off the north entrance to Halhul and Karmei Tzur, a Jewish settlement. In Halhul, police convoys were operating and scores of troops were visible. But there were practically no cars on Road 60, the main artery south from Jerusalem to Hebron — the road on which the teenagers would have hitchhiked toward home. | At 8 p.m. Monday, dozens of military and police vehicles had completely blocked off the north entrance to Halhul and Karmei Tzur, a Jewish settlement. In Halhul, police convoys were operating and scores of troops were visible. But there were practically no cars on Road 60, the main artery south from Jerusalem to Hebron — the road on which the teenagers would have hitchhiked toward home. |
| In parallel to the search, the Israeli military conducted an aggressive campaign of arrests and raids aimed at weakening the infrastructure of Hamas in the West Bank. | In parallel to the search, the Israeli military conducted an aggressive campaign of arrests and raids aimed at weakening the infrastructure of Hamas in the West Bank. |
| As Israeli’s top ministers convened at 9:30 p.m. to discuss possible responses to the discovery of the bodies, several had already issued statements demanding severity. | As Israeli’s top ministers convened at 9:30 p.m. to discuss possible responses to the discovery of the bodies, several had already issued statements demanding severity. |
| Naftali Bennett, head of the right-wing Jewish Home party, wrote on his Facebook page that “there is no forgiveness to the murders of children” and “this is the time for actions and not for talk.” | Naftali Bennett, head of the right-wing Jewish Home party, wrote on his Facebook page that “there is no forgiveness to the murders of children” and “this is the time for actions and not for talk.” |
| Yisrael Katz, the transportation minister and a member of Mr. Netanyahu’s Likud faction, told reporters that Israel must “act with all our strength against Hamas in Gaza and the West Bank and teach Hamas a lesson.” | Yisrael Katz, the transportation minister and a member of Mr. Netanyahu’s Likud faction, told reporters that Israel must “act with all our strength against Hamas in Gaza and the West Bank and teach Hamas a lesson.” |
| David Pearl, a leader of the community council in Gush Etzion, the settlement bloc where the abductions occurred, called on the Israeli government Monday night to deport anyone connected with terrorism to Gaza or Jordan. | David Pearl, a leader of the community council in Gush Etzion, the settlement bloc where the abductions occurred, called on the Israeli government Monday night to deport anyone connected with terrorism to Gaza or Jordan. |
| “How is it possible that two terrorists were allowed to walk freely and kill our boys?” he asked in an interview on Army Radio. “Such people and their entire clan need to be put on trucks and sent out of Israel.” He added, “We have had enough.” | “How is it possible that two terrorists were allowed to walk freely and kill our boys?” he asked in an interview on Army Radio. “Such people and their entire clan need to be put on trucks and sent out of Israel.” He added, “We have had enough.” |
| A member of the search teams, Benny Drupper, said in an interview on Army Radio that the breakthrough began when “one of the guys spotted something abnormal.” | A member of the search teams, Benny Drupper, said in an interview on Army Radio that the breakthrough began when “one of the guys spotted something abnormal.” |
| “He moved some rocks and discovered a body,” Mr. Drupper said, describing the location as an isolated, half-cultivated area in a hilly landscape. “It is not an area someone would drive through every day, unless he is a farmer there,” he added. “The search in this area was conducted with the understanding that a terrorist would think about such a location beforehand.” | “He moved some rocks and discovered a body,” Mr. Drupper said, describing the location as an isolated, half-cultivated area in a hilly landscape. “It is not an area someone would drive through every day, unless he is a farmer there,” he added. “The search in this area was conducted with the understanding that a terrorist would think about such a location beforehand.” |
| Danny Danon, Israel’s right-wing deputy defense minister, issued a statement promising that the government would “not stop until Hamas is completely defeated.” | Danny Danon, Israel’s right-wing deputy defense minister, issued a statement promising that the government would “not stop until Hamas is completely defeated.” |
| “We must ensure that this tragic end be turned into an opportunity to create a better and safer Israel,” Mr. Danon said. “Israelis have the willingness and the fortitude necessary to endure the hardships of a long-lasting operation aimed at eradicating Hamas.” | “We must ensure that this tragic end be turned into an opportunity to create a better and safer Israel,” Mr. Danon said. “Israelis have the willingness and the fortitude necessary to endure the hardships of a long-lasting operation aimed at eradicating Hamas.” |
| He called for the demolition of “homes of the terrorists” and destruction of their weapons caches, and urged the international community to halt “all aid to the Palestinian Authority.” | He called for the demolition of “homes of the terrorists” and destruction of their weapons caches, and urged the international community to halt “all aid to the Palestinian Authority.” |
| Rabbi Mordechai Malka of Elad, Israel, where the Yifrach family lives, told reporters as he departed the family’s home: “The only thing that encourages us all is the unity shown by the people of Israel around this difficult event. The only request of family is that Israel will continue on that path, and not only in times of sorrow.” | Rabbi Mordechai Malka of Elad, Israel, where the Yifrach family lives, told reporters as he departed the family’s home: “The only thing that encourages us all is the unity shown by the people of Israel around this difficult event. The only request of family is that Israel will continue on that path, and not only in times of sorrow.” |
| Tzurit Fenigstein, a neighbor of the Shaar family in Talmon, Israel, said in a telephone interview that a rally for the teenagers that was held in Tel Aviv on Sunday night, attended by tens of thousands, had “made the family feel they are not alone.” | Tzurit Fenigstein, a neighbor of the Shaar family in Talmon, Israel, said in a telephone interview that a rally for the teenagers that was held in Tel Aviv on Sunday night, attended by tens of thousands, had “made the family feel they are not alone.” |
| She said the uncertainty of the last two weeks was difficult. “At least there is some small comfort that the tension is now behind us,” she said. | She said the uncertainty of the last two weeks was difficult. “At least there is some small comfort that the tension is now behind us,” she said. |