Netanyahu Accuses Hamas of Nabbing Teens, Ban Slams Kidnap

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday accused the Islamist Hamas movement of kidnapping three teenagers as a massive West Bank manhunt for the missing youths entered its third day.

As troops wrapped up the biggest arrest operation in years, detaining 80 Palestinians overnight -- many of them Hamas members -- Netanyahu pointed the finger of blame directly at the Islamist movement.

"This morning I can say what I could not say yesterday before the broad wave of arrests of Hamas people in Judaea and Samaria," he said, using the biblical term for the West Bank.

"Those who carried out the kidnapping of our youngsters are Hamas people -- the same Hamas with whom Abu Mazen has forged a unity government, which has very serious implications," he said referring to Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas.

The youngsters, one of whom also holds a U.S. passport, are students at Jewish seminaries in the West Bank and are believed to have been snatched Thursday night from an area Bethlehem and Hebron, reportedly while hitchhiking. 

They have been identified as Gilad Shaer, 16, from Talmon settlement near Ramallah, Naftali Frenkel, 16, from Nof Ayalon in Israel, and Eyal Ifrach, 19, from Elad near Tel Aviv.

Their disappearance came 10 days after the establishment of a new Palestinian government of technocrats pieced together by Abbas's Fatah movement and Hamas following a unity agreement between rival leaders in the West Bank and Gaza. 

The reconciliation with Hamas, which is committed to Israel's destruction, has enraged Israel, with Netanyahu placing responsibility for the teens' safe return on the shoulders of Abbas and his Palestinian Authority.

Netanyahu's remarks were made at the start of a special session of the weekly cabinet meeting held at the defence ministry. 

- Hamas dismisses 'stupid' accusations -

His accusation was derided by Hamas. 

"Netanyahu's statements accusing Hamas of kidnapping the (teenagers) are stupid," spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told Agence France Presse.

"These arrests are aimed at breaking the movement and it won't succeed."

He said the wave of arrests overnight, which included Hamas MPs and former ministers, showed Israel had no idea who was responsible. 

"The arrest of PLC (Palestinian Legislative Council) members and Hamas leaders is a new Israeli aggression and shows they are flailing around in the dark and we ask the international community to stop this crime," he said. 

The arrests came after Netanyahu ordered the security forces to "use all tools at their disposal" to find the teenagers, with the army saying "approximately 80 Palestinian suspects" had been detained.

"Palestinian terrorists will not feel safe, will not be able to hide and will feel the heavy arm of the Israeli military capabilities," Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner said in a statement.

As the search entered its third day, the defence ministry imposed a complete lockdown on Hebron and the surrounding area, and also limited access to and from Gaza to humanitarian cases only, while only fuel was being allowed in through the southern goods crossing.

Inside Hebron, Israeli paratroopers fanned out across the streets, sealing off all entrances to the city, while to the east, troops with police dogs raided Taffuh village, forcing some people out of their homes, an AFP correspondent said.

Across the West Bank, scores of Jewish settlements on Sunday refused entry to their Palestinian workforce in a move affecting thousands of labourers, in line with a directive from the Yesha Settlers' Council.

The aim was to "put pressure" on the Palestinian public not to cover up for the kidnappers, a council statement said. 

"They won't break us," Economy Minister Naftali Bennett said in a statement, warning Israel would use an "iron fist against terror".

"The world which knows how to pressure Israel to release terrorists must now mobilise to ensure the release of children kidnapped on their way home from school."

Later on Sunday, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon condemned the kidnap operation, called for the safe return of the teenagers and urging all sides to exercise restraint.

He also expressed "deep concern" about violence on the ground and the death of a seven-year-old child in the Gaza Strip on Saturday following a recent Israeli air strike. 

"The secretary general condemns the abduction on 12 June of three Israeli students, including two minors, in the West Bank," his spokesman said in a statement.

"He expresses his solidarity with the families of the abducted and calls for their immediate release," he added.

Ban also expressed his condolences to the family of the child killed in Gaza.

"The secretary general urges all to exercise restraint and lend their urgent support for the release and safe return of the three youths," the spokesman added.

An International Committee of the Red Cross statement called for the "immediate and unconditional release of the three teenagers," stressing they "must be treated humanely" and offering to act as a "neutral intermediary."

Overnight, hundreds of people gathered at the Western Wall in Jerusalem's Old City to pray for the safe return of the teenagers with another mass prayer session scheduled for 1400 GMT. 

Also overnight, Israel's air force hit three targets in Gaza in answer to cross-border militant rocket fire in what was the second consecutive night of retaliatory strikes.