While my mix of anger and sympathy for the families of those 3 boys in Israel builds and is compelling me to post #bringbackourboys, I am deeply saddened to learn of their deaths. The deaths of three innocent Israeli teenage boys who were kidnapped in the West Bank earlier this month should not go unnoticed by the international community and our president. With one of the boys being an American citizen something needs to be done.
Israeli officials confirmed yesterday that their bodies were found in a cave north of the city of Hebron.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the killers “human animals” as he spoke before an emergency cabinet meeting. But there are truly no words to describe the kind of deplorable violence that was imparted on Eyal Yifrach, Gilad Shaar and Naftali Frankel as they tried to make their way home from school by hitchhiking, something that is not uncommon in that region.
In a very powerful statement quoting Israeli poet Hayim Nahman Bialik, the prime minister recited that, “‘[v]engeance for the blood of a small child, Satan has not yet created.’ Neither has vengeance for the blood of three pure youths, who were on their way home to meet their parents, who will not see them anymore. Hamas is responsible –- and Hamas will pay. May the memories of the three boys be blessed.”
This heartbreaking situation comes at the end of a search that began on June 12th for the three teen boys, one of whom (Naftali Frenkel, 16) was from Brooklyn, N.Y. My heart goes out to the families of these innocent children who were taken much too soon. I have no words other than to send my sincerest condolences to the families who mourn for these lost souls; may they rest in peace. And I pray that the individuals who were capable of such heinous crimes be brought to the justice they deserve.
