USA: Hundreds gather in New York to call for the safe return of three Israeli teenagers abducted from the occupied West Bank

Record ID: 398601

  • Title: USA: Hundreds gather in New York to call for the safe return of three Israeli teenagers abducted from the occupied West Bank
  • Date: 16th June 2014
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF PEOPLE SINGING PEOPLE STANDING
  • Embargoed: 1st July 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVACHFDEWBCRN06N9RYMSY111W33
  • Story Text: About two hundred people gathered across the street from the Israeli Consulate in New York City on Monday (June 16) to call for the safe release of three teenage boys abducted from the occupied West Bank.
    The two 16-year-olds and a third man aged 19, seminary students in a Jewish settlement bloc, disappeared on Thursday.
    Israel identified the seminary students as Eyal Yifrach, 19, Gil-ad Sha'er, 16 and Naftali Frankel, 16, who also holds U.S. citizenship.
    During the prayer vigil and rally, people held signs reading #BringBackOurBoys. The recent #BringBackOurGirls campaign successfully brought international attention to schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram in Nigeria.

    "We support Israel. We want the whole world to know we want these boys home," said Naomi Brunnlehrman.

    "It's important that world knows that the boys for the crime of being Jewish in a Jewish homeland do not deserve to be kidnapped. These are teenagers. They're kids," said Ellen Minaker.
    The vigil was led by New York Rabbi Avi Weiss who said, "Our hearts are broken."
    Israel said on Sunday that Hamas militants had abducted three teens.
    There has been no public claim of responsibility. Asked about Netanyahu's charge, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri stopped short of a clear denial or confirmation the group was involved.
    Since the three teenagers vanished, apparently while hitchhiking, the Israeli army has carried out house-to-house searches, round-ups and interrogations in the Palestinian city of Hebron and outlying villages.
    Israel says it does not know if the three are alive or dead.
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