At the end of day, this is not a political story, but a human one.
Thursday night is a time most people in Israel really look forward too. Much like Friday nights everywhere else in the Western world, Thursday night means the beginning of the weekend, the end of the work week, a time off from your duties, a break from school – a time to spend with your family, rest and enjoy life.
A lot of young kids go far away from home for a high education, and in a small country like Israel, that normally means that you are too far and too busy with your schoolings to be home every day with your family, but close enough to go home for the weekend.
The three kidnapped boys, much like many others in Israel and all across the world, were probably counting the minuets for that moment when they could begin their journey home and spend the weekend, Shabbat, with their families and friends.
But that happy journey on this last Thursday night, June 13th, was brutally cut off by hateful, murderous and criminal terrorist.
This is not a political story, but a human one. This is not about Hamas being a known terror organization, recognized as one by the international community, and it’s certainly not about Israel’s policy in the Judea and Samaria, the peace process or any other related issue.
This is about the inhuman act of kidnapping three innocent teenage boys, on their way home from school to visit their families, holding them without anyone even knowing if they are alive or dead.
This is about three families worried sick about their sons, and an entire nation dreading their fate.
But most of all, this is about our values, the values of human rights, our values of drawing a red line regarding terror and the abuse of children, and our willingness to stand up and oppose it.
The families of the abducted teens send a message of gratitude to all those assisting in getting their sons back. In Israel and all over the international community, they send a message of optimism, believing that their children will return to them safely.
Naftali’s aunt, Ittael Fraenkel told Tazpit News Agency that “these are very hard days. But we are very optimistic. We know that everyone is doing everything they can to bring Naftali and the other two boys, Gilad and Eyal, home.”
“We really hope that with all this help and all the prayers that everyone is praying for them, we will see them home soon,” Fraenkel told Tazpit.