Massive Search Underway for Missing East Jerusalem Woman, Family Cites Discrimination

Hundreds of volunteers, including many from East Jerusalem, participated in an overnight search for Fatma Al-Rajabi, a 61-year-old resident of East Jerusalem who has been missing since Sunday afternoon. As time passes, concerns for her safety are escalating, with her family urging for expanded search efforts and the involvement of additional agencies.

Police have indicated a "clear and immediate danger to the missing woman's life," as large police forces and volunteers conducted extensive searches in open areas near Mevaseret Zion. There is an indication that the disappearance has a criminal background.

Al-Rajabi's son heavily criticized the police's handling of the case, claiming significant searches began too late. He stated that if his mother were Jewish, authorities would have deployed helicopters and involved agencies like the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) immediately. "We are asking for the Shin Bet to get involved," he said, expressing a belief that her ethnicity influenced the response time and urgency.

Commander Shalom Cohen of the Salem station rejected the family's claims of a delayed response, asserting that an intensive investigation has been underway since the initial report on Sunday. He stated that significant resources, including advanced technology, have been dedicated to the search, particularly in the Abu Ghosh area based on received intelligence. Cohen also denied that Al-Rajabi's background affected the investigation, emphasizing that the case has been treated with full effort from the outset.