IDF dismisses 2nd kidnapping claim

The IDF said early Tuesday morning that Palestinian claims of kidnapping an Israel West Bank resident were false.

Let's hope that's so, despite a persistent report aired on Army Radio's 08:30 news break that the individual was a Breslav Hasid nabbed trying to reach Patriarch Joseph's Tomb in Nablus.

(In the interests of full disclosure, I posted the following late last night, and pulled it moments later awaiting any denial or confirmation).

Palestinian sources are claiming to have kidnapped what they are referring to as a "settler," in the Nablus area of the West Bank, and are, reportedly, planning a press conference soon to announce the deed.

There has been no official response to this claim, as of this posting.

Israeli security officials are investigating the claim, and are taking it seriously, according to initial reports on my beeper service, and Israel Army Radio at the 23:30 update Monday night.

From Ynetnews:

"A spokesperson for the Popular Resistance Committee told Ynet on Monday evening that his group kidnapped a settler in the West Bank. Spokesperson Mahmoud Abed Alal said he would release more information on the kidnapping later Monday night.

"The Israel Defense Forces said it was aware of the announcement but could not yet confirm that an Israeli citizen had been kidnapped, adding that they had received no report on a kidnapping from settlers. Settler leaders also said they are unaware of a kidnapping attack.

I so hope this report turns out to be psy-ops against Israel, and not valid.

However, there was a similar kidnapping attempt against two Israeli women in the West Bank two weeks ago, which, thnakfully, she managed to escape from.

From Haaretz:

"Palestinians tried to kidnap two Israeli girls at the Rechalim Junction, near the West Bank town of Nablus, on Thursday. Israel Defense Forces troops and police officers searched the area, and arrested the three would-be abductors.

"The three armed Palestinians pulled up to a hitchhiking station near the settlement of Rechalim, where the two young women were standing. They exited the vehicle and tried to force one of the girls, Amona Shahar, into the car. She fought them off, suffered a light head wound, and fled. The other girl waiting at the hitchhiking station ran away and used her cellular phone to alert security forces."