Netanyahu slams Arab Israeli leaders for failing to condemn kidnapping of teens

By LAHAV HARKOV for JPost

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Monday slammed Arab Israeli leaders for failing to condemn the kidnapping of three Israeli teens in the West Bank earlier this month.

Speaking at a meeting of his Likud faction, the prime minister said, "These leaders are not even willing to do what [PA President Mahmoud] Abbas did, condemn a wicked kidnapping of children. If they want to live as part of Israel they must condemn it."

Netanyahu reiterated that he is pushing to outlaw the Northern Branch of the Islamic Movement, which led a demonstration over the weekend in Umm al-Fahm protesting the IDF's West Bank operation to bring back the kidnapped boys.

"We live in Israel, defended by the IDF, who defends all of our citizens and we expect minimal recognition of that from all citizens," Netanyahu said.