Kidnapped Jewish children on their return to Israeli territory.
Kidnapped Jewish children on their return to Israeli territory.Yad L'Achim Photo

Two Jewish children who were kidnapped by their Arab father and taken to Palestinian Authority-controlled territory were located at the end of a massive manhunt.

The mother, who has been in contact with Yad L'Achim since ending her relationship with her Arab husband, witnessed the kidnapping from her home in central Israel and immediately notified one of the organization's social workers.

Yad L'Achim reached out in many directions, involving the office of National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir (Otzma Yehudit) and contacting sources in the army and security services. At the same time, it turned to the broader public with a plea that people say a chapter of Psalms for the children's welfare and a prayer that they be returned to their mother.

After several nerve-wracking hours, the children were located by Palestinian Authority policemen in a city identified with terror elements in northern Samaria, and from there passed on to the office of the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, for an emotional reunion with their mother.

Yad L'Achim officials who assisted the mother in retrieving her children helped her file a police complaint in the hope that it would lead to the kidnapper's apprehension and prosecution.

"We are grateful to Hakadosh Baruch Hu (G-d) and the security forces who acted in an exemplary fashion, and to all of Am Yisrael (the People of Israel) for their tefillos (prayers)," Yad L'Achim said in a statement. "For understandable reasons, we cannot go into details at this time, but the main thing is that the children are back in their mother's care, in a secure place. We are confident that they will grow to be a source of pride to Am Yisrael and bring their mother much Jewish nachas (satisfaction)."