It happened just as they said it would.

For months prior to the pullout from Gaza, a range of commentators, analysts and Israeli military sources all predicted that the withdrawal would lead to increased Palestinian terror in Judea and Samaria.

In other words, by running away from Gaza, Israel was laying the groundwork for the Palestinians to target their guns and their resources on “liberating” the next batch of “occupied” territory by killing Jews.

But the left, and the media, and the Prime Minister himself all refused to listen. After all, they know better. And now, as a result, three Jewish children were murdered the other day by Palestinian terrorists in Gush Etzion, south of Jerusalem.

All together, the three victims had lived a total of just 58 years. Matat Adler was 21, her cousin Kinneret Mandel was 23, and Oz Ben-Meir was 14.

If a person were to pass away, G-d forbid, at the age of 58, people would say that he or she had died young. What, then, can one possibly say now?

This attack, like so many others before it, could have and should have been prevented. It was carried out by the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade of Fatah, the primary faction of the PLO.

For the past 12 years, Israel has sought to appease Fatah through concessions, withdrawals and retreats. The result has been nothing but bloodshed. It is time for Israel to halt this farce, and to stop yielding to terror.

It is time for the Jewish state to take action and protect its citizens, and to eliminate the terrorists who prey on innocents.

It is time for Jewish children to stop being slaughtered, once and for all.