Israel Police to investigate sexual abuse claims against defense chief

Israeli police said on March 14 that they were investigating sexual abuse allegations against the former head of Israel’s famed ZAKA rescue service.

Police said the elite Lahav 433 unit, responsible for the investigation of major crimes and corruption, will handle the case involving Yehuda Messi-Zahav.

Mr. Messi-Zahav has been a celebrity in Israel for decades. ZAKA is internationally known in the 1990s, when it responded to a wave of attacks by Palestinian terrorists, helping first responders and cleaning human remains in line with Jewish laws.

As the head of the ultra-Orthodox organization, Mr. Messi-Zahav was widely seen as a bridge between Israel’s religious and secular Jewish communities. Earlier this month, he was given the Israel Award, the nation’s highest honor, for lifetime achievement.

But on Friday, Mr. Messi-Zahav stepped out of Zaka and renounced his prestigious award after the Israeli newspaper Hataraj It said it interviewed six accused and obtained evidence of decades of sexual abuse and exploitation. The cases allegedly involved juveniles and young children.

Mr Messi-Zahav has denied the allegations, but on March 14, more accused came forward with stories of alleged misconduct by him.

A person, identified only from his first initial “D.” Channel 13 TV that he was abused by Mr. Messi-Zahav at the beginning of three years when he was 11 years old. Now in his mid-20s, he said he had been attacked dozens of times “if not hundreds,” and was well known. Other victims.