BICOM

Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas yesterday condemned the kidnapping of three Israeli teenagers in the West Bank, in comments which were heavily criticised by Hamas.

Israel’s widespread West Bank operation to locate the three abducted youngsters began a seventh day this morning. Abbas recently entered into a Palestinian unity government backed by Hamas, while Israel’s government has said that Hamas is responsible for the kidnapping. Earlier this week, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the PA “cannot build a government that is backed by the kidnappers of children and the murderers of innocents.”

Yesterday, in his most public and substantive response to the kidnappings so far, Abbas told the Organisation of the Islamic Conference in Saudi Arabia that, “These three boys are human beings like us, and they should be returned to their families.” Abbas emphasised that, “We are coordinating with them [Israel] to reach them.” He advocated continued security cooperation in Israel “in order to avoid a new intifada” and accused those who carried out the kidnapping of “wanting to destroy” the PA. In response, a Hamas statement condemned Abbas’s comments, saying that they “are unacceptable and are damaging to the Palestinian interest.”

According to the Jerusalem Post, Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office responded to Abbas’s comments by saying that his words would be judged by the actions he takes in helping secure the safe return of the kidnapped youngsters and whether he continues the unity pact with Hamas. Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, Israel’s chief peace negotiator was more upbeat. She described Abbas’s words as “important, correct, and reflect the true reality.” She added, “Israel, the world, and the moderates and pragmatists on the Palestinian and Arab side need to fight together against the terrorist Hamas.”

Meanwhile, Haaretz reports that the Norwegian government is postponing a conference of PA donor countries, which was scheduled for Oslo next week, due to the current controversy and sensitivities regarding the Palestinian unity government.