‘Brings Back Our Boys’ Facebook page raises awareness on abducted Israeli teens
(JNS.org) A Facebook page created Friday, June 13, following the abduction of three Israeli teenagers by terrorists near Hebron had garnered close to 80,000 “likes” by Monday.
The “Bring Back Our Boys” Facebook page, which aims to raise international awareness of the kidnapping, acquired more than 7,000 “likes” in its first four hours, and numerous viewers uploaded pictures of themselves holding signs reading “Bring Back Our Boys.”
The page is predicated on the international protest formula initiated by U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama, who created a page called “Bring Back Our Girls” to campaign for the release of nearly 300 Christian Nigerian girls kidnapped by the Muslim terrorist group Boko Haram.
Viewers who arrive at the “Bring Back Our Boys” page are asked to share it with friends, with an emphasis on celebrities who can more effectively raise the page’s profile by adding pictures of themselves with the slogan.
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Palestinian Authority invokes release of prisoners in statement on kidnapping
(JNS.org)– The Palestinian Authority presidency issued a statement on the kidnapping that invoked the release of Palestinian prisoners.
“The presidency affirmed the need to not resort to violence by any party, particularly since President Mahmoud Abbas’s position is to continue with the extensive efforts to ensure the release of Palestinian prisoners, held in Israeli jails, when a final peace deal with Israel is signed,” the statement said.
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Gaza terrorists fire rockets on southern Israel
(JNS.org) Terrorists in Gaza launched a barrage of rockets towards Israel on Saturday.
According to the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit, three rockets were launched towards Israel, with two hitting in the Hof Regional Council.
In response to the rocket fire, the Israeli Air Force hit three centers of terrorist activities and two weapons caches in Gaza.
The Israel Defense Forces has also redeployed the several additional Iron Dome batteries in southern Israel to combat the growing rocket threat.
According to the IDF, nine rockets were fired at Israel over the past two weeks. Since the beginning of this year, 200 rockets have been fired at Israel, twice the total in 2013.
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Jewish leader speaks out against anti-Christian attacks at Israel allies summit
(JNS.org) World Jewish Congress President Ronald Lauder expressed solidarity with Christians around the world facing persecution during the Jerusalem Day Convention at the Israeli Allies European Summit in Budapest, Hungary.
“I will speak out across the globe with world leaders and with ordinary citizens, and I will tell them that we will never tolerate any kind of anti-Christian threats, just as we will not tolerate anti-Semitism,” Lauder said. “Your fight is my fight.”
Christians across the world have come under increasing assault, especially in the Middle East, where Christians in Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, and Iraq have faced widespread attacks from Islamic extremists.
“In Syria over the last two years, almost half-a-million peaceful Christian Arabs have been driven out. Many thousands have even been killed,” Lauder said.
He added, “Two people, Christians and Jews, will defend Israel. … Thank you for your steadfast support of Israel and the Jewish people.”
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Palestinian envoy: Australia at economic risk for stance on eastern Jerusalem
(JNS.org) The Palestinian envoy to Australia says the country is at risk of economic and trade sanctions from Arab and Muslim countries over its stance on eastern Jerusalem, by no longer referring to the area as “occupied” by Israel.
“We think that it’s very provocative and un-useful, and it’s not appropriate,” said the Palestinian envoy to Australia, Izzat Abdulhadi, AFP reported.
Abdulhadi said that Australia could face trade boycotts from Arab and Muslim countries for its “isolated” stance. Already, Jordan has summoned Australia’s ambassador, while Indonesia, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia protested the policy change.
Last week, Australian Attorney-General George Brandis said his country would no longer refer to eastern Jerusalem as “occupied.”
“The description of east Jerusalem as ‘Occupied east Jerusalem’ is a term freighted with pejorative implications, which is neither appropriate nor useful,” Brandis said following a conversation with Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.
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Islamic Jihad leader calls for kidnapping of Israelis
(JNS.org) Khaled Albatsh, a leader of the Palestinian terrorist group Islamic Jihad, on Friday called on Palestinians to kidnap more Israelis.
Speaking at a rally in Gaza, Albatsh said Israel has proven that it will release Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the safety of its civilians, and that Palestinians should take advantage of that.
“Our war against the enemy is raging,” said Albatsh, Ma’ariv reported. “We must find the ways and means to release our prisoners, we must devise a clear plan to free them.”
Amid Friday’s news that three missing teenage yeshiva students are feared to have been kidnapped near the West Bank Jewish community of Gush Etzion, Albatsh also encouraged his audience to target Israelis in the West Bank.
“It cannot be that only one side suffers from the occupation,” he said.
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