Nearly 72 hours after Eyal Yifrach, 16, Gil-ad Shaar, 16, and Naftali Frenkel, 18, were kidnapped, the United States of America has come to the careful conclusion that the abduction was an act of terrorism!
Prior to the announcement, it had appeared that Secretary of State John Kerry and other American officials had been blissfully unaware of the incident south of Jerusalem. Apparently the news got to Kerry late Sunday morning (US time).
As of this writing, it is not yet clear whether President Barack Obama or former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton have heard about the kidnapping, as neither have made any statements on the issue.
Kerry said “many indications point to Hamas involvement” in the abduction. He reiterated the US position that “Hamas is a terrorist organization known for its attacks on innocent civilians and which has used kidnapping in the past.”
“The United States strongly condemns the kidnapping of three Israeli teenagers and calls for their immediate release. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families. We hope for their quick and safe return home.
As of this writing, however, President Barack Obama has not spoken out on the incident, despite the fact that one of the hostages, 18-year-old Naftali Frenkel, is an American citizen.
Kerry said the United States would “continue to offer our full support for Israel in its search for the missing teens, and we have encouraged full cooperation between the Israeli and Palestinian security services.
“We understand that cooperation is ongoing,” the secretary said.