Paul Calvert spoke with Gidon Ariel, a Jewish man from the Hebron area, about the kidnappings of three young boys

Prayer vigil at Western Wall

Gidon: Yes of course, Hebron Arabs are walking around Hebron freely inside, but they are not allowed outside, because we want to make sure that if the abductors are in Hebron they will not be able to get out and go somewhere else.

Paul: You are a father, so what do you think these families are feeling at the moment about the kidnapping of their children?

Gidon: It is impossible to imagine the anguish that the parents of these children are going through. All of us Israelis and all peace loving people can only pray together with these families and their families and their neighbours, because all of them come from relatively small communities and all of them together are praying that God will join the long arm of the IDF and bring our children home.

Paul: You have just been to a prayer vigil tonight down at the Western Wall, what is the mood like there?

Gidon: It's a very difficult mood because on the one hand we believe in God and all of us know that God is in charge of the world and we are pouring out our hearts in prayer that God will look kindly upon us and bring these children home and hopefully bring the Messiah. We are looking for redemption. This is what Jewish people pray for every single day and we feel that we are close to it. We want an end to our sorrow and an end to our pain and an end to war and bloodshed; we just want peace.

Paul: What is your prayer tonight for the families of these children?

Gidon: I pray that the salvation of the Lord is in the twinkling of an eye. As we speak I just listened to the news about an hour and a half ago, but I hope that in the next news brief that we will hear that these boys were found safe and sound and they will be coming back to their homes and that is the only prayer that is on everyone's lips tonight and until these boys come home.