The mystery of Meli and Liel's disappearance in Vienna: Gag order issued in Israel amid new investigation leads
The investigation into the disappearance of the mother and daughter has been transferred to Lahav 433, as Israeli authorities lean toward a non-nationalistic motive. The family has protested the police's stance, demanding that the possibility of a terrorist incident remains under serious investigation.
The investigation into the disappearance of two Israeli women in Vienna has been transferred to Lahav 433, and a gag order has been placed on the case. The working assumption in Israel is that this is not an incident on nationalistic grounds or a terrorist attack. Authorities are currently investigating whether Meli and Liel left of their own volition, potentially taking a large sum of money with them.
Family members provided testimony to Lahav 433 investigators and demanded that the possibility of a nationalistic scenario remain under serious consideration. On Thursday, the court approved the police's request for a gag order. Austrian police have also stated that there is no suspicion of criminal activity at this stage.
In Israel, investigators are looking into reports that location tracking was disabled on the women's mobile phones. An Israel Police representative is currently in Vienna, and an operational headquarters has been established at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The fact that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is leading the investigation, rather than the Mossad or the National Security Council, reinforces the assessment that the disappearance is likely civil in nature.
The family's response
The family of Meli and Liel Yahalomi issued a statement criticizing the police: "We view with great severity the briefings distributed in recent hours that create the impression that a conclusion has already been reached regarding the circumstances of their disappearance. The family possesses information that fundamentally contradicts some of these claims."
According to the family, there has been no unusual activity on their bank accounts. "We clarify unequivocally that at this stage, there is no basis for ruling out the possibility of a terrorist incident on nationalistic grounds," they stated, noting that the sudden loss of contact is completely out of character for the pair.
Background of the trip
Meli and Liel had planned their trip in advance, arriving in Vienna by train from Prague and staying in an apartment hotel. "They planned the trip, bought train tickets in advance," said Elinor, Meli's sister. As the two observe the Sabbath, the initial lack of contact was not considered alarming. However, concerns grew when they failed to attend the Sabbath meal and did not collect their pre-ordered kosher food.
On Sunday evening, after receiving no response, the family contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' situation room. A search of their hotel room revealed it was empty, with their personal belongings missing. Extensive searches are ongoing, but as of now, there are no leads regarding their whereabouts.
