IDF soldiers on Thursday night continued with Operation Brothers Return as they inspected 100 homes, arresting at least 30 additional terrorists. About 280 terrorists have been arrested in the first week of the operation in the hope of obtaining intelligence information to locate the captive youths; Naftali Frenkel, Gilad Shaar and Eyal Yifrach. 180 of the terrorists taken into custody are Hamas affiliated and 53 of the terrorists were among the over 1,000 released in the Gilad Shalit prisoner release deal.

Hamas charitable institutions targeted
Soldiers during the night also raided 15 Hamas affiliated charitable organization, which funnel funds to Hamas. This includes the office of the Birzeit University student union in the Ramallah region. Documents and equipment were confiscated. Also raided was the Ramallah office and broadcast station of al-Aqsa Radio.

The operation is open-ended
IDF commanders and cabinet ministers have announced the ongoing operation is open-ended and it will continue and possibly even expand as efforts to locate the captives continue.

While soldiers have encountered limited resistance, officials explain that PA (Palestinian Authority) resident understand this time it is different and the IDF response will be firm and immediate. Soldiers are ordered to respond to any and every assault. It would appear the IDF has been ordered to take off the gloves and finally get tough with terrorists based in PA autonomous areas. In Jenin, soldiers fired at two terrorists who hurled explosives at them. Soldiers operating in Beit Lechem also met with resistance. B’chasdei Hashem there are no reports of causalities among the thousands of soldiers taking part in the operation.

The cell phone of one of the captives in the burned vehicle
Forensic experts continue examining the burned remains of the Hyundai i35 sedan that is believed to have been used by the terrorists. The vehicle is being processed with a fine tooth comb in the hope of finding a clue that may help lead to the location of the captives and/or to learn the identity of the terrorists involved. The charred remains of a cellular telephone found in the vehicle are believed to have belonged to one of the captives.

The kidnapping resulted from the anti-religious legislation
Kiryat Araba Chief Rabbi Dov Lior Shlita is under a hail of fire after announcing the terrorist kidnapping is the result of the wave of anti-religious legislation.

The rav addresses “my dear brothers” and praises Am Yisrael for the achdus and tefilos since the kidnapping a week ago. The rav adds that tefilos are not sufficient, instructing each person to conduct a cheshbon nefesh and evaluate one’s relationship with HKBH towards determining how to improve one’s lifestyle and avodas Hashem.

” אם נחשוב שהצרות באות במקרה וממנהג העולם ולא בגלל מעשינו, הקב”ה יעניש אותנו על עצם מחשבה זו, מפני שהפשפוש במעשים הוא מצווה מן התורה. לכן בעת צרה זו חובה עלינו לשאול מהו הגורם לייסורים אלו המשפיעים על הציבור כולו.”

Rav Lior laments the performance of the current administration vis-à-vis halacha and the Jewish character of the state, including assaults on the family unit, giyur, and other areas of Jewish life. He accuses lawmakers of seeking to chas v’sholom turn Am Yisrael into people like any other nation.

Parents of Eyal Yifrach meet with the Sanzer Rebbe Shlita
The parents of Eyal Yifrach on Tuesday night the eve of 20 Sivan 5774 visited with the Sanzer Rebbe Shlita. Mr. Yifrach shared his thoughts with the rebbe, stating that “only HKBH can save the boys”.

The rebbe told the parents how he was mispallel at the Kosel for the release of the boys from captivity, and he calls on the tzibur at large to continue reciting Tehillim.

Mr. Yifrach said “There is no doubt that the technology or anything else will do it, but just HKBH will direct them (soldiers) to the correct location. They will get there”. The rebbe said “This is Siyata Dishmaya”.

The rebbe concluded, “מי שאמר לעולמו די יגיד לצרותנו די. הצרה שלכם היא צרת הכלל”.

MK Amnon Mitzne responds to Rav Lior
The Movement MK Amnon Mitzne, a retired IDF major-general, spoke with Israel Radio on Thursday morning and commented on Rav Lior’s remarks. Mitzne, who is not shomer Shabbos, questioned how the rav dare to make such comments. He called the rav’s remarks “ridiculous” and compared the talmid chacham’s words to those of MK Hanin Zoabi, the Arab MK who refused to refer to the Hamas terrorists as “terrorists”.

Mitzne explained the Zoabi blames social conditions and the bleak plight of the Palestinians for the kidnapping, and Rabbi Lior says it is related to the lack of adherence to Torah and mitzvos. He added with confidence that the kidnapping is not in any way connected to anyone’s observance of Torah and mitzvos and the remarks made by the rabbi are unacceptable and insulting.

Names for Tehillim:

1. Yaakov Naftali ben Rachel Devorah

2. Gilad Michael ben Bat Galim

3. Eyal ben Iris Tesurah

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)