June 30, 2014 — New York, New York
AJC is horrified by the murder of three Israeli teens, who were kidnapped on June 12. The bodies of Naftali Fraenkel, 16, Gilad Shaar, 16, and Eyal Yifrach, 19, were found today near Hebron. Hamas operatives are suspected of abducting the three Jewish boys and killing them shortly afterwards.
“We share the anguish of the parents and families of Naftali, Gilad and Eyal, and of the entire Israeli nation,” said AJC Executive Director David Harris. “Cowardly terrorists chose three Jewish youths, innocently hitchhiking to return home for Shabbat, to seize and mercilessly kill.”
The kidnapping and murders took place shortly after Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas established a unity government with Hamas. Since the kidnapping, more than 25 rockets have been fired into Israel.
"We can only hope that all people of goodwill will stand together in unambiguous, immediate condemnation of this murder, and give further thought to a Palestinian government that includes Hamas as one of its two pillars," said Harris.
