Founder of Israeli prominent rescue organization and prize winner accused of multiple cases of rape, sexual abuse
Occupied Palestine (QNN)- The founder of one of Israel’s most prominent rescue organizations and Prize laureate has been accused of sexually assaulting women and children over a period of decades.
ZAKA founder Yehuda Meshi-Zahav stepped down on Friday, following the launch of an official police investigation into accusations that he had sexually assaulted women and children over a period of decades, following an investigation and first-hand testimony from survivors.
In a letter to Zaka members and volunteers, he said he was giving up the prize “out of deep concern for this holy organisation that I have built with my own two hands”. He also called the allegations “baseless”, Haaretz reported on Friday.
Yehuda Meshi-Zahav set up Zaka in 1989, and was recently awarded the ‘Israel’ Prize – the Israeli highest civilian honour.
The allegations were first reported by Haaretz newspaper on Thursday, leading police to launch an investigation.
The allegations against Meshi-Zahav date back to the 1980s.
Haaretz spoke to six people who say he assaulted them when they were young children, teenagers, and in their 20s.
The Haaretz investigation also revealed that many people from ultra-Orthodox Israelis were aware of Meshi-Zahav’s activities, but never reported them to the police.
