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Haymanot Kasau's parents demand equal resources after missing mother, daughter found in one week
IL🏛️ PoliticsProgressiveOverlooked by conservatives8 days ago

Haymanot Kasau's parents demand equal resources after missing mother, daughter found in one week

The family of Haymanot Kasau, a 9-year-old girl missing for over 902 days, is demanding increased investigative resources and a transfer of her case to the Israeli Security Agency (Shin Bet) following the recent recovery of Mali and Liel Yahalomi in Argentina. The two women were found safe after a significant international search effort led by the Israel Police. Haymanot’s parents accuse the police of inadequate action, noting that while the police successfully located the other two individuals, they have made little progress in finding Haymanot. They criticize the lack of communication and updates from the authorities and urge the public to support their cause, expressing frustration over perceived discrimination in the handling of their daughter's case.

On Wednesday, nearly 900 days after Haymanut Kasau disappeared from an absorption center in Safed, her family staged a protest outside the Shin Bet headquarters in Tel Aviv, demanding answers and action from the Israeli security agency. The demonstration took place just before the anniversary of her disappearance, which occurred on February 25, 2024, when the nine-year-old was last seen on surveillance footage handing out municipal election leaflets with friends near the Jewish Agency facility where she had lived since her family’s arrival in Israel three years earlier. The protest saw dozens of participants chanting slogans such as “Justice for Haymanut,” “Haymanut is a hostage,” and “Where is the Shin Bet?” They carried signs stating “Mom and dad are doing everything.” Haymanut’s father, Tesfai Kasau, addressed the crowd in Amharic, followed by a Hebrew translation delivered by a supporter. In a letter to Shin Bet head David Zini, he expressed concerns that the agency might be ignoring his daughter’s case because of her ethnicity. He implored the agency to prove that Israel is indeed the safest place for Jews, as he had hoped it would be for his family. Haymanut’s mother, Benchi Kasau, also spoke during the protest, referencing the recent case of 4-year-old Yuval Kogan, who was found safely after being missing for just one day following his disappearance on a beach in Ashkelon. She noted how quickly the Shin Bet acted in that instance and questioned whether her daughter’s case was being treated differently due to her race. “I felt for the mother of Yuval,” she said, adding that the swift response from authorities in that case left her wondering if Haymanut was not considered equally valuable. The family has consistently maintained that Haymanut was kidnapped, arguing that the nature of her disappearance warrants classification as a kidnapping rather than a simple missing persons case. They accuse the government of failing to take sufficient measures to locate their daughter. Despite the approval of the Attorney General, Gali Baharav-Miara, allowing the Shin Bet to participate in the investigation several months ago, the agency has yet to formally engage in the case. Before the Shin Bet’s involvement was sanctioned, the case was transferred to the Lahav 433 Major Crimes Unit, led by Police Commissioner Danny Levy. Officials at the time described this move as an attempt to bring new perspectives to the investigation. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously committed to personally overseeing the case, responding to pressure from opposition figures who urged his office to take direct control of the inquiry. Haymanut’s disappearance has remained unsolved, with no credible leads or developments regarding her whereabouts or the individuals potentially involved. Surveillance footage shows her leaving the absorption center with friends around 7:45 p.m. on the evening of her disappearance. Since then, no further information has emerged about her fate. The protest highlighted deep frustrations within the Kasau family, who feel abandoned by both local and national authorities. Their plea for justice continues, as they seek clarity and resolution to the mystery surrounding Haymanut’s vanishing.

2 reports

The Times of Israel logoThe Times of IsraelIndependentProgressiveFactual 85Objective 7511 days ago
900 days after she went missing, Haymanut Kasau’s family demands answers from Shin Bet

A protest took place outside the Shin Bet headquarters in Tel Aviv, demanding action in the case of Haymanut Kasau, a 9-year-old Ethiopian immigrant who disappeared from an absorption center in Safed on February 25, 2024. The protest occurred on the 900th day since her disappearance, highlighting ongoing frustration with the lack of progress in the investigation. Haymanut's family claims the Shin Bet has not acted swiftly enough, comparing their case unfavorably to the rapid response in the search for 4-year-old Yuval Kogan, who was found safe after a day-long search. The family expressed concerns that racial bias might be influencing the investigation, citing the delayed response compared to cases involving children of different ethnic backgrounds.

Bias read (Progressive): The article frames the situation as a potential racial bias issue within the Shin Bet, emphasizing the disparity in response times between Haymanut's case and that of Yuval Kogan. The focus on systemic racism and the emotional appeal to justice aligns with left-leaning perspectives. The article also

Why factuality (85): The article provides detailed information about the protest organized by Haymanut Kasau's family, including the date of the disappearance, the involvement of Shin Bet, and quotes from the parents. It aligns with the cross-source consensus regarding the timeline and the family's concerns. However, th

Why objectivity (75): The article presents the family's allegations and emotions, using phrases like 'color of her skin' and 'prove to me I didn’t make a mistake,' which reflect a biased perspective. While it reports the events objectively, it frames the situation through the lens of the family's frustration, potentially

The Jerusalem Post logoThe Jerusalem PostIndependentProgressiveFactual 85Objective 708 days ago
Haymanot Kasau's parents demand equal resources after missing mother, daughter found in one week

The family of Haymanot Kasau, a 9-year-old girl missing for over 902 days, is demanding increased investigative resources and a transfer of her case to the Israeli Security Agency (Shin Bet) following the recent recovery of Mali and Liel Yahalomi in Argentina. The two women were found safe after a significant international search effort led by the Israel Police. Haymanot’s parents accuse the police of inadequate action, noting that while the police successfully located the other two individuals, they have made little progress in finding Haymanot. They criticize the lack of communication and updates from the authorities and urge the public to support their cause, expressing frustration over perceived discrimination in the handling of their daughter's case.

Bias read (Progressive): The article frames the situation as a systemic failure of the Israel Police, emphasizing the disparity in resource allocation and institutional accountability. It highlights the emotional distress of the family and calls for a shift in authority to a security agency, suggesting a critique of current

Why factuality (85): The article reports on the ongoing search for Haymanot Kasau, referencing the recent discovery of Mali and Liel Yahalomi in Argentina, which aligns with cross-source consensus. It mentions the family's demands for increased resources and transfer to Shin Bet, which are consistent with public stateme

Why objectivity (70): The article presents the family's perspective with emotional language, such as 'our happy ending' and 'our Haymanot has not been with us,' which leans toward the family's viewpoint. While informative, it lacks neutrality in framing the situation.

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