Witnesses describe abuse, starvation, and forced child marriages; NIS 1.5 million allocated to aid rescue efforts.
In a tense session of the Knesset’s Aliyah and Absorption Committee, harrowing testimonies were presented about the condition of Israeli children held in welfare facilities in Guatemala since December, after being removed from the extremist “Lev Tahor” cult.
“You have no idea what the little girls are going through there,” said Esther, a grandmother who managed to bring her five-year-old granddaughter back to Israel. “The girl said about her sister, ‘Soon she’ll be 12, so she’ll become a bride.’ It’s unthinkable!”
According to testimonies revealed during the hearing, children in the cult suffer severe abuse, including solitary confinement, starvation, and even rape. Special concern was raised over young girls who are forced into marriage at age 12, against their will and in violation of the law.
“Time is working against the children, and action must be taken quickly to rescue them,” Esther stressed to the Committee.
Orit Cohen Amir, representing the families, criticized the authorities for ongoing delays: “For 15 years we’ve been told it’s complicated, it’s confidential. Not a single child has returned because of the actions of those in this room.”
In response, Dr. Tamar Rozmarin Ze’ev from the Prime Minister’s Office stated, “In the past week, criminal proceedings have accelerated, and we are holding regular status discussions among all relevant government ministries.”
Committee Chairman MK Gilad Kariv emphasized the need to speed up bureaucratic processes.
“I’m under the impression that the State authorities are making efforts, but there are still gaps,” he said. He noted that “significant behind-the-scenes efforts are underway,” but stressed that “critical bureaucratic processes must be sped up.”
Following the session, a NIS 1.5 million aid package was allocated to assist families working to rescue the children. The support plan was developed in cooperation with the Prime Minister’s Office and the Jewish Agency.
At the same time, the Foreign Ministry is recruiting personnel to bolster operations at the Israeli embassy in Guatemala and is engaging with counterparts in other countries to advance efforts to bring the children home.
