US Urges Israel to “Exercise Restraint” Against Palestinians
“Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.” (Proverbs 25:26)
An IDF soldier seen checking the ID card of a Palestinian suspect in Judea as part of Operation Brother’s Keeper. (Photo: IDF Flicker)
The United States called on Israel and the Palestinians on Wednesday to show restraint as Israel continues its search for three kidnapped teens by Hamas terrorists last Thursday.
“We recognize this is an incredibly sensitive and difficult circumstance on the ground, and we feel all sides should exercise restraint,” State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki stated.
Psaki confirmed that one of the teens, Naftali Frankel, is a citizen of the US and that US officials have been in touch with his family.
“We urge both sides to exercise restraint and avoid the types of steps that could destabilize the situation,” Psaki added.
“We know this is a difficult time, obviously, on the ground,” she said. Psaki called on both sides to continue security cooperation in search of the missing teens.
The State Department has been unusually quiet regarding the latest terror attack against Israel. Three days after news of the kidnapping attack broke, US Secretary of State John Kerry finally issued a statement condemning the abductions and failed to highlight that an American citizen is among the kidnapped.
Entering its seventh day, the search for kidnapped teens Naftali Frankel, Gilad Shaar and Eyal Yifrach have centered mostly on the Palestinian section of Hebron, where intelligence officials believe the boys are being held. Israel announced that Hamas is behind the kidnappings despite Hamas’s denial.
The kidnapping attack came days after Hamas called on its members to carry out violent acts and kidnapping attacks against Israelis and IDF soldiers in Judea and Samaria.
IDF soldiers, along with the Shin Bet and other security forces, launched one of Israel’s largest arrest operations in years in Judea and Samaria in search of the abducted teens. Israel has imposed tight measures on Palestinian cities in Judea and Samaria, closing off entire cities for periods of time and increasing security checkpoint measures.
Since Friday, when the IDF launched Operation Brother’s Keeper, troops have arrested 270 Palestinians, including several high-profile Hamas members and terrorists released from prison by Israel as part of a deal to free captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in 2011.
Early Thursday morning, soldiers arrested an additional 30 Hamas members as part of arrest sweeps in search of the boys.
The IDF confirmed that over 800 locations have been searched for any sign of the missing teens, including 10 Hamas da’wa [cultural] institutions.
Overnight Wednesday, the Israeli Air Force conducted coordinated strikes on strategic Hamas positions in the Gaza Strip following rocket attacks earlier in the day.
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