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Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, 19 Sivan 5774, met with international Quartet Representative Tony Blair and told him at the start of their meeting:

“The brutal abduction of three Israeli teenagers shows the true face of Hamas. It’s not only committed to murdering Israelis, it’s committed to kidnapping children. And I think the international community has to condemn Hamas for its terrorist activities and I think it has to support Israel’s right of self-defense and I think it also must call on President Abbas to end his pact with Hamas. Anybody who supports peace must tell the Palestinian Authority that they cannot build a government that is backed by the kidnappers of children and the murderers of innocents.”

In a joint statement with Netanyahu, Blair expressed “his outrage” at the kidnapping and extended his “deepest sympathy” to the families.

The peace talks must be based on a two-state solution, Blair said. “That means that for Hamas, they have a very clear choice to make. There cannot be a choice that has political engagement on the one hand, and violence on the other. And the only way this is ever going to work is if all violence stops — the terrorism, the kidnappings, the killings.”

“The only way forward will be when Hamas understands that the only proper choice to make if you want peace is to engage in solely peaceful means to achieve political ends,” he added.

Names for Tehillim:

1. Yaakov Naftali ben Rachel Devorah

2. Gilad Michael ben Bat Galim

3. Eyal ben Iris Tesurah

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)