Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority. Photo: WEF.

JERUSALEM – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, spoke on Monday with Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and insisted that the PA leader aid in efforts to locate three Israeli boys who were kidnapped by Palestinian terrorists on Thursday.

“I expect you to assist in returning the abducted youths and in apprehending the kidnappers,” Netanyahu said. “The Hamas kidnappers came from territory under Palestinian Authority control and returned to territory under Palestinian Authority control. This incident exposes the true face of the terrorism that we are fighting against. Terrorists abduct innocent Israeli children while we save the lives of ill Palestinian children in our hospitals. This is the difference between our humanitarian policy and the murderous terrorism that is attacking us.”

Prime Minister Netanyahu added, “The consequences of the partnership with Hamas must be understood; it is bad for Israel, bad for the Palestinians and bad for the region.”

In a statement Saturday night, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that ultimate responsibility for the return of the boys lay with Abbas. The Prime Minister said that he had “demanded that the Palestinian Authority, headed by Abu Mazen, from whose territory the kidnappers came, do whatever necessary to help the hostages get home safely. That is the Palestinian Authority’s responsibility.”