President Isaac Herzog met with the family of Yemenu Zalka, murdered on Independence Day, ahead of Tisha B'Av, calling on Israeli society to fight 'terrible violence' and hatred. Yerusalem Zalka, his sister, announced the establishment of the 'Love Like Yemenu' movement to eradicate violence, saying her brother 'championed unconditional love and respect.'
President Isaac Herzog met with the family of Yemenu Zalka at the President's Residence on Thursday morning, ahead of the Tisha B'Av fast, calling on Israeli society to root out violence and baseless hatred. The meeting, which The Zioneer reported earlier today, took place as the family continues to advocate for change following Zalka's murder on Independence Day by teenagers.
During the meeting, Yerusalem Zalka, the victim's older sister, announced the launch of the 'Love Like Yemenu' movement, aimed at eradicating violence. 'From our pain, and from the support we received from the people of Israel, we established the movement,' she said. 'My brother Yemenu accepted every person and championed unconditional love and respect.'
The family has been vocal in demanding accountability. On June 23, the Zalka family delivered searing testimony at a Knesset committee on youth violence, accusing the justice system of shielding violent youth. On July 21, Yerusalem Zalka stated that 'murder is murder regardless of age,' criticizing the normalization of youth crime.
The murder of Zalka, 20, by a group of minors on the eve of Independence Day sparked widespread outrage and calls for harsher penalties for violent youth. The President's meeting and the family's new movement mark the latest efforts to address the issue.
3 developments
- StrongYemenu Zalka's sister: 'Murder is murder, regardless of age' — slams youth crime normalization
- DevelopingYemenu Zalka's family delivers searing testimony at Knesset committee on youth violence
- StrongSuspect in Yemenu Zalka murder case changes Instagram to anonymous after threats
- DevelopingCourt releases key suspect in murder of Yemenu Zelka over prosecution objection
Source and signal
A single-sourced dispatch is never rated Confirmed or Strong. Its Signal strengthens only when a second, independent source corroborates it.
- Internal intake