Most media outlets have been equating the murder of three Israeli teens by Palestinian terrorists with the killing of a Palestinian teen at the hands of Jewish extremists.

But the different responses to the killings from the Israelis and Palestinians are extremely revealing of each group – and demonstrate why there will not be peace anytime soon.

In the Palestinian territories, many people praised, laughed at, or celebrated the kidnapping (and murder) of the three Israeli teens. Tens of thousands of Palestinians posted smiling photos on Facebook holding up three fingers – a sign that Palestinians invented specifically to celebrate the kidnapping. Palestinians even created a Twitter hashtag to praise the abduction. There was no Palestinian social media effort to condemn the act.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas issued a carefully worded statement in English, saying he was opposed to the kidnapping because the abducted Jews were “human beings.” But Abbas’ political party posted frequent celebratory statements on the Internet, and his aides praised the kidnapping in the Arabic media. Finally, Abbas’ new political partner, Hamas, is widely believed to be responsible for the kidnapping.

In summation, three Israeli teens were kidnapped and murdered, and a vast number of Palestinians celebrated. In fact, the mother of one of the kidnapping suspects said her son was a hero for killing Jews.

Now consider the Israeli response when a Palestinian boy was murdered at the hands of Jewish terrorists. Israeli leaders of all stripes condemned the killings swiftly and forcefully (in English and in Hebrew). They said that murder was unacceptable – no matter what the provocation.

Most importantly, they vowed to find the murderers and bring them to justice quickly and severely – a vow they made good on within days. (It has been weeks, and yet the Palestinian murderers are still at large.)

There were no Internet memes celebrating the murders – and any right-wing Israelis who did so were condemned as extremists, and rightly shunned by the Israeli media and population. The Jewish killers will be treated as what they are: killers.

Contrast this to the Palestinians, who celebrate the kidnappers and murderers as heroes. (When Israel recently freed 78 Palestinian prisoners who had admitted to killing innocent Israeli civilians, they were welcomed back with parades and mass celebrations).

This is the difference between the Israeli and Palestinian peoples. A society that values life and is ready for peace would not celebrate the murders of innocent civilians – no matter what political grievances it has with Israel.

What would our reaction be if U.S. soldiers killed innocent relatives or teenage children of our “enemies”? We would put them in jail and shun them as murderers – just as Israel has done with Jewish extremists. But for Palestinians, anyone who murders or kidnaps an Israeli civilian is a hero worthy of celebration.

That is why there is no peace in the Middle East. And that is what no mainstream media outlet has the courage, honesty, or insight to tell you.