Full Breakdown
Opposition Leaders Promise Shin Bet Involvement in Haymanot Kasau Case
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Background & Context
Haymanot Kasau, a nine-year-old Ethiopian-Israeli girl, vanished from an absorption centre in Safed in February 2024. More than two and a half years later—949 days after the disappearance—her family continues to seek answers. The family’s advocacy group, the Headquarters for Haymanot, says they have asked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to move the investigation from the police to the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) for eight months without receiving a response.
Meeting with Opposition Leaders
On a Thursday morning, Tesfaye Kasau and his older daughter met with Naftali Bennett, head of the B’Yachad party and former prime minister, and Yair Lapid, opposition leader. The family reiterated their request that the case be transferred to Shin Bet. Bennett and Lapid pledged to raise the matter with Shin Bet chief David Zini if they assume government power.
Official Statements & Responses
Bennett said he would, upon forming a government, convene a meeting in his office with the police commissioner, the Shin Bet chief, the investigation officials, the Attorney-General and other relevant parties to review the case’s timeline. He described the family’s suffering as “unbearable” and committed to using “all means” to secure Haymanot’s return. Lapid called the disappearance a “moral and national imperative,” criticized the lack of a dedicated task force since February 2024, and vowed to keep pressuring the government to fulfill its duty.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The family's pain and uncertainty are unbearable,” — Naftali Bennett, former prime minister
- “I cannot imagine the hell [you go through] from the moment you wake up in the morning until the moment you go to sleep,” — Naftali Bennett, former prime minister
- “Finding Haymanot is a moral and national imperative,” — Yair Lapid
What’s Next
Both Bennett and Lapid indicated they will contact David Zini to explore Shin Bet’s possible involvement. Bennett also promised to organize the described inter-agency meeting once his party enters government, while Lapid said his team will continue to monitor the investigation and hold the authorities accountable.