Officials: 1 of the 3 teens kidnapped in West Bank is an American citizen

A United States official said one of the three teens kidnapped Thursday night in the West Bank is an American citizen. The boys, all 16 years old, went missing from a hitchhiking spot in the Gush Etzion area. One of the boys reportedly called the police saying they had been kidnapped, prompting a search effort from Israeli soldiers.
The Associated Press reports that the official spoke on the condition of anonymity since they weren't allowed to publicly brief the media. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu believes the Palestinian Authority was behind the kidnapping, but he didn't elaborate. No one has yet claimed responsibility.
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Jordan Valinsky is the lead writer for Speed Reads. Before joining The Week, he wrote for New York Observer's tech blog, Betabeat, and tracked the intersection between popular culture and the internet for The Daily Dot. He graduated with a degree in online journalism from Ohio University.
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