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Human Rights Voices
While the UN devotes its human rights operations to the demonization of the democratic state of Israel above all others and condemns the United States more often than the vast majority of non-democracies around the world, the voices of real victims around the world must be heard.
U.N. Obsession with Condemning
Israel Instead
14-year-old Benjamin Achimeir, who went missing in the West Bank on April 12, 2024 and was found murdered a day later. (Courtesy)
Palestinian Authority/Gaza, April 13, 2024
Body of Israeli teen found in West Bank; IDF says he was murdered in terror attack
Original source
The Israel Defense Forces on Saturday found the body of a 14-year-old Israeli who went missing while shepherding in the West Bank a day earlier, as renewed clashes were reported between settlers and Palestinians.
Jerusalem resident Benjamin Achimeir was murdered in a terror attack, the IDF and Shin Bet security agency said in a joint statement.
Amid violent clashes on Saturday afternoon by settler extremists with Palestinians after the body was found, with the Palestinian Authority news agency reporting one Palestinian shot in the head and critically injured, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appealed to the public not to hinder the work of the security forces in apprehending the murderers and maintaining security.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant issued a similar plea, but also specifically warned the public: “Revenge attacks will make it harder for our forces in their mission. Do not take the law into your own hands.”
According to the IDF, Achimeir set out in the early morning hours of Friday from a farm near the outpost of Malachei Shalom to go shepherding. Hours later, the sheep returned to “Gal Farm” without him.
Malachei Shalom is located near the West Bank town of al-Mughayyir, northeast of Ramallah.
Achimeir’s body was spotted on Saturday morning by a drone operated by the Border Defense Corps’ 636th Combat Intelligence Collection unit, close to the farm where he initially went missing.
The murder was believed to have been carried out by Palestinian terrorists, and taken place in the late morning hours or early afternoon of Friday, according to an initial investigation.
Next to the teen’s body, troops found his personal belongings that were handed over to police for investigation.
“Security forces are continuing the pursuit of those suspected of carrying out the attack,” the IDF and Shin Bet said, adding that they “send their heartfelt condolences to the family.”
Netanyahu said “the heinous murder” of Achimeir was a “serious crime.”
“I send my heartfelt condolences to his family,” Netanyahu also said in a statement published by his office.
“We will get the murderers and those who helped them, as we do to anyone who harms the citizens of the State of Israel,” the statement continued.
Security experts have long warned that Hamas wishes to ignite tensions in the West Bank, with concerns that settler reprisals could play into the terror group’s hands.
To that end, Netanyahu also added that he “calls on all citizens of Israel to allow the security forces to do their work unhindered.”...
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