We cannot recognize light without dark.
We cannot recognize warmth without cold.
We cannot recognize good without evil.
Yesterday, we recognized them all.

Like so many others, my heart broke reading about the tragic deaths of Eyal Yifrah, Naftali Frankel and Gilad Shaer, the 3 Israeli teens murdered by terrorists simply because they were Jews. I mourned with their families and with Am Israel around the world. My Facebook feed filled and spilled with mourning, scrolling from trios of candles to trios of candles.

As the brave IDF soldiers searched day and night for the kidnapped boys, pictures began surfacing showing Palestinians celebrating the abduction. Average, everyday citizens passed out sweets in the streets and posed for photos holding three fingers in the air; representing the 3 hostages. The photos gloated and endorsed the terrorists’ actions. The most disturbing photos showed children making the 3-finger sign. The PA (Fatah) ordered shopkeepers to destroy their security surveillance videos, lest the IDF use them to find the kidnapped children.

The search lasted 18 days and ended when IDF soldiers found the 3 boys’ bodies abandoned in a West Bank ditch. They’d been shot to death shortly after their abduction. Palestinian mobs attacked the Israeli ambulances brought to transport their lifeless bodies.

Over those 18 days of waiting, Jews around the world united in solidarity. They formed vigils, created petitions, prayed, supported, raised awareness via social media, and maintained hope, using whatever resources they had to bring back our boys and hold the perpetrators accountable. And when the boys were found yesterday, all world Jewry mourned and grew resolute together.

Let no one say the conflict between Arabs and Jews revolves around a “land dispute.” The conflict arises from hate, from a culture of hate that breeds more hate, that indoctrinates its people to believe that terrorism pays personally and nationally, and only respects strength. In other words, the conflict comes from good, old-fashioned antisemitism, the kind that inspires ordinary people to embrace terrorism and become murderers. After all, the two Hamas members suspected of kidnapping the boys are likely just a few years older than the boys themselves. But hatred isn’t born, it’s taught. We know this: the mother of one of the suspects said she’d be proud if her son were responsible.

Many media outlets ignored the kidnapping, others denied it was a kidnapping at all. Speaking the only language her enemies understand, Israel will send the message this week that terror will not be tolerated. These same media outlets will report this news, critically.

We cannot recognize light without dark.
We cannot recognize warmth without cold.
We cannot recognize good without evil.
Yesterday, we recognized them all.

How strange to cry for people you’ve never met. Yet that’s what we did, because these boys were family, not strangers.

May their memories forever be blessing. May their families be comforted among the mourners of Zion. Baruch Dayan haEmet.

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