U.S. Congressmen in Illinois released the following
statements condemning the kidnapping of the three Israeli teenage boys by
Palestinian terrorists in the West Bank on June 12 and expressing solidarity
for their families.
Rep. Cheri Bustos:
“As the
mother of three sons, my deep-felt thoughts and prayers go out to the
families of the kidnapped Israeli students. I stand united with the people
of Israel as efforts continue to bring these boys home safely and reunite
them with their families.”
Rep. Danny K. Davis:
"I join in the strongest condemnation of the abduction of three Israeli teenagers by Palestinian terrorists last Thursday night. I regret I will not be in Chicago on Monday morning to be with you for the vigil for their prompt return and offer my own prayers for their safety. Please know that I am there in spirit and that this terrorist act continues to weigh heavily on my heart.
I condemn the taking of the three Israeli teenagers, Eyal Yifrah, Gilad Shaer, and Naftali Frenkel, who I understand, is also is an American citizen. The victimization of children is both horrifying and repelling and no party to any dispute is justified morally or legally to use children as pawns.
I trust that the enormity of this act will trigger such universal disapproval and anger that the calls for their immediate return will be impossible to ignore and that the exploitation or harm of children for political or military advantage will become unacceptable under any circumstances and by any party. I call on the Palestinian Authority to cooperate fully with Israel to reunite these youths with their families."
Rep. Rodney Davis:
"My
thoughts and prayers are with the families of the three recently abducted
Israeli boys. As the father of two sons, I can’t imagine the heartbreak
experienced by these families as their children were taken while waiting for
the school bus to return home. I strongly condemn Hamas for this cowardly and
despicable crime and urge the Palestinian Authority to cooperate fully with
Israel to ensure the safe return of each child."
U.S.
Senator Dick Durbin:
“My thoughts and prayers are with the
families of the three Israeli teenagers that were kidnapped. I fully support
both the Israeli and Palestinian efforts to find them and return them
safely.”
Rep. Bill Foster:
"Israel is our
strongest ally in the region, and I stand with their citizens in the efforts to
return these young men to their families. I am a father myself and I can't
imagine the pain these families are experiencing. My heart goes out to
them."
U.S. Senator Mark Kirk
"I join in the
prayers for the safe return of Gilad, Naftali, and Eyal and strongly condemn
Hamas for perpetrating this heinous act. I support Israel's determined efforts
to bring these young men home and hope for a successful outcome very soon.
This once again shows that Hamas is a terrorist organization that should never
be considered a legitimate partner for peace."
Rep. Dan
Lipinski:
“I was deeply saddened to learn of the kidnapping of
three Israeli students who were abducted as they were heading home from
studying at their Yeshiva. My thoughts and prayers are with Eyal Yifrah, 19,
Gilad Shaer, 16, and Naftali Frenkel, 16, who is an American-Israeli dual
citizen, and also with their families. The terrorists responsible for this
cowardly and despicable act must be brought to justice. I join Secretary
Kerry and the Israeli government in calling on the Palestinian Authority to
cooperate with Israel and their security forces to return these young men to
their families. The targeting of students and the celebration of this brutal act by Hamas and other groups is truly appalling. I
stand with the people of Israel and pray for the quick and safe return of
these three young men.”
Rep. Jan Schakowsky:
“I join
with many in the 9th Congressional District and around the world in
expressing my deep concern for the three Israeli teenagers who were abducted
on their way home from school last week. My thoughts and prayers are with
Eyal Yifrah, Gilad Shaer, and Naftali Frenkel (who is also an American
citizen), their families and friends as we do everything we can to ensure
their safe return. I commend Secretary of State John Kerry for his strong
response and urge all parties, including the Palestinian Authority, to do
everything possible to achieve the prompt release of Eyal, Gilad and
Naftali.”
Rep. Brad Schneider:
“I applaud the efforts
of the Chicago community, and in particular the 2014 Jewish United Fund
Lewis Fellows – young people not much older than the three kidnapped
students – for organizing a community-wide vigil to express our unified
support for the safety and return of the three boys, for their families,
and all of Israel.
In the days since Palestinian terrorists
kidnapped the three Israeli teenage students, Eyal Yifrach (19), Gilad Shaar
(16) and Naftali Frankel (16), I have watched with grave concern and prayed
for their safe return to their families. As a father of two young boys, I
cannot fathom the anguish of the parents, and I join my colleagues in the
United States Congress and the American people in solidarity with the
families, as well as the people and the government of Israel, as they seek
to bring the young students home.
Evidence increasingly points to
Hamas involvement in the abduction of the boys. At the same time, Hamas
continues to advocate violent action against Israel, increasingly calling
into question Palestinian efforts to form a unity government involving
Hamas. I call on President Abbas to disassociate from Hamas, and any entity
that is demonstrated to have participated in this horrible crime.
Furthermore, the abduction of these innocent boys, the widespread
celebrations in the Palestinian Territories of the kidnapping, and ongoing
rocket attacks from Gaza, shed light on the broad spectrum of threats that
Israelis live with on a daily basis. It is critical that the international
community unites in opposition to these types of terrorist activities, and
openly condemns those who advocate and celebrate such heinous actions as
legitimate.
Let us all keep these captive boys,
their families and their communities in our thoughts and prayers, and may we
soon celebrate their safe redemption and reunification with their
families.”
Rep. Aaron Schock:
"Israeli children live in
fear today because of the inability - and perhaps, unwillingness - of the
Palestinian leadership to effectively clamp down on Hamas and other
terrorist groups operating inside their territory. The kidnapping of three
teenagers studying the Torah in the West Bank underscores the failure of the
Palestinian Authority to foster peace and eradicate terror. I am concerned
that recent actions by US negotiators are insufficient to demonstrate the
unyielding commitment that this nation has to the peace process, and may
have emboldened Hamas. The teenagers must be returned safely to their
families immediately, as the patience of Israel wears thin. The United
States Congress has shown time and again our firm resolve to stand with our
ally as Israel deals with threats to its people and peace."
