[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 98 (Monday, June 23, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1047]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                           #BRINGBACKOURBOYS

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                           HON. FRANK R. WOLF

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 23, 2014

  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring to your attention an 
incident that happened last week in Israel, a situation being referred 
to internationally as ``#BringBackOurBoys.'' On June 12, three teenage 
Israeli students, Gil-Ad Shaer, Eyal Yifrah and Naftali Fraenkel, 
disappeared from a hitchhiking point a little south of Jerusalem, 
Israel. While no group has come forward to take responsibility for this 
action, the Israeli government has pointed fingers at Hamas. As you 
know, Mr. Speaker, Hamas, a radical Islamist party, first came to power 
following the Palestinian legislative elections in 2006, defeating the 
former ruling party, Fatah. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) has 
arrested over 200 suspects, most of them Hamas members, over the past 
week. In addition to these arrests, they have expanded their search in 
hopes to retrieve these abducted boys.
  People all over the world have gathered together, to express their 
concerns for these boys and their families. Many rallies have taken 
place outside of various World Cup arenas in hopes of bringing media 
attention to this important issue. A mass rally has been planned for 
next Tuesday, June 24th, outside of the Israeli Consulate in New York.
  This past week, on Wednesday June 18, the Jewish Community Relations 
Council of Greater Washington, the Jewish Federation of Greater 
Washington, and The Israel Forever Foundation co-sponsored a vigil 
outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington D.C. Over 250 members of the 
community gathered to chant and listen to speakers of many different 
faiths reiterating the need for these boys to be returned to their 
families safely. Rabbi Adam Raskin of Congregation Har Shalom in 
Potomac, Maryland said ``They are our kids. This is a kidnapping from 
our family,'' asking ``Can you imagine the anguish and the pain of 
their parents?'' This is an issue that we must continue to put pressure 
on, in order to return these boys to their families.
  As another Sabbath passes, my thoughts and prayers are with the 
families of these young men. We remain hopeful for the immediate safe 
return of these students. Mr. Speaker, everyone in this country, 
regardless of their individual faith, needs to be mindful of the words 
Presbyterian Minister Roy Howard of St. Marks Church in North Bethesda, 
Maryland spoke at this week's rally at the Israeli Embassy here in 
Washington: ``We are united with Israel, the Jewish people; they are 
not my boys, but I stand in solidarity with you.''

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