Israel searches for teens 'kidnapped' in the West Bank

The Israeli army says it is searching for three teenagers it suspects have been abducted by Palestinians in the West Bank, the BBC reported.

The two 16-year-olds and one 19-year-old reportedly went missing on Thursday near an Israeli settlement bloc.

Palestinian officials say Israel has arrested at least 12 people.

The search is being seen as the biggest strain on relations between the two sides since the establishment of a new Palestinian unity government.

The Israeli army said it was conducting a "widespread operation" to locate the teenagers, last seen in the area of Gush Etzion, a bloc of Jewish settlement which lies between Jerusalem and the predominantly Palestinian city of Hebron.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he holds the Palestinian Authority responsible for the teenagers' wellbeing.

However, Adnan Demeiri, a spokesman for the Palestinian security services, dismissed Mr Netanyahu's claims, saying that the three went missing in an area under full Israeli control.

Palestinian officials say arrests have taken place in the Hebron area, which lies to the south of Gush Etzion.

In a statement on the operation, the Israeli army pointed to the 2006 kidnapping of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit and said the three may have been taken to be traded for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

Sgt Shalit was freed in 2011 after Israel and the Islamist movement Hamas agreed a deal under which more than 1,000 Palestinians were released.

In April, Israel suspended crisis-hit peace talks with the Palestinians when a Hamas-backed Palestinian unity government was announced.

Israel insists it will not deal with a Palestinian government backed by Hamas.