TEL AVIV, israel — Palestinians appealed for an intervention by the United Nations to stop Israel’s week-long campaign of arrests and airstrikes after the suspected kidnapping of three Israeli teenagers in the West Bank.
“The international community, including the Security Council, cannot continue to fail to act to hold Israel accountable for its flagrant breaches of the law,” Ambassador Riyad Mansour wrote in a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that was e-mailed to reporters Saturday.
Inaction by the United Nations has emboldened Israel and “bolstered its impunity,” according to the letter.
Israeli forces continued raids in the West Bank overnight, entering 146 homes and arresting 10 members of the Hamas movement, according to an army spokesman, speaking on condition of anonymity required by military rules.
Troops also shut down 15 social-welfare organizations that Israel says are used as fronts for Hamas, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused of kidnapping the youths.
