Netanyahu speaks to Abbas, expects PA help in finding teens

Abbas calls Netanyahu, two leaders speak for first time in over a year ● Palestinian president condemns kidnapping ● Palestinian killed in clashes with IDF outside Ramallah ● 40 Palestinians arrested overnight, including parliament speaker.

By Haaretz

The search for the three kidnapped yeshiva students entered its fourth day on Monday. The Israeli military on Sunday called up a limited number of reserves and is now focusing most of its efforts to find Eyal Yifrah, 19, from Elad, Gil-Ad Shaer, 16, from Talmon, and Naftali Frenkel, 16, from Nof Ayalon in the Hebron area.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Sunday that Hamas is behind the abduction. Netanyahu asserted that he holds the Palestinian Authority responsible for the teens' fate. The Ma'an Palestinian news agency quoted Yoav Mordechai, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, as saying that Israel "has a lot of information on the kidnapping case. The investigation is conducted in absolute secrecy."

On Sunday it was cleared for publication that one of the abducted teens managed to call the police emergency line immediately after he was taken, at 10:25 P.M. on Thursday and said: "We've been kidnapped."

The security cabinet is scheduled to convene on Monday at noon to further discuss efforts to locate the three teenagers. One of the ideas being considered is to expel senior Hamas members from the West Bank to Gaza, as a way of pressuring the organization. The Justice Ministry convened on Sunday to explore whether such steps are in keeping with international law.

The U.S. on Sunday condemned the kidnapping, and called for the immediate release of the three teens. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said that the U.S. is still looking for information as to who is behind the incident, but adds that "many indications point to Hamas’ involvement." The military's working assumption is that the three are still in the West Bank.

Rockets were fired late on Sunday toward the southern city of Ashkelon. Iron Dome battery intercepted two of them, the rest landed in open areas. No one was wounded and no damage was done.


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