Palestinian Authority intelligence has assessed that Hamas is behind the kidnapping of three Israeli teens, The Times of Israel reported, citing a Palestinian official. This assessment is in line with both the conclusions reached by Israel and a statement by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.
The official said that the kidnapping would mark a breach of the understandings between Fatah and Hamas, and would render their unity agreement null and void.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also said that the assessment in Palestinian intelligence is that Hamas, or a faction within Hamas, was responsible for the kidnappings Thursday night of Eyal Yifrach, Gil-ad Shaar and Naftali Frankel.
Despite the growing consensus on Hamas’ involvement, as well as the possibility that this will significantly undermine the possibility of the Hamas-Abbas deal gaining international respectability, EU Ambassador to Israel Lars Faaborg-Andersen distanced himself from a call for the breakup of the new Palestinian government the Europeans gave their backing to only weeks ago.
“We don’t think this unacceptable kidnapping is something that the technocratic government can be held responsible for, because [the government] consists of non-party-affiliated personalities,” Faaborg-Andersen said. “We consider Hamas a terrorist organization and we have no dealings with it. But Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other terrorist groups do not have representatives sitting in this government.”
Israel maintains Hamas’ terror activities of late were not merely restricted to the abduction. Terrorists fired numerous rockets from Hamas-controlled Gaza over the last couple of days.
By TheTower.org Staff
