Shocking Testimony Reveals Widespread Child Marriage and Abuse in Yavniel
A Knesset committee held an emergency hearing on child marriage in the town of Yavniel, where harrowing testimonies revealed the extent of the problem. Committee chairwoman MK Merav Cohen stated that "80% of the female students in Yavniel get married in ninth grade," adding that those who don't are considered "strange." The hearing exposed that the situation has worsened and become an organized industry, with one former member of a local religious sect describing children being "beaten and raped there day after day for 40 years."
Parents shared their distress, with one mother detailing how her 17-year-old daughter was forced into marriage, and another father expressing frustration that rabbinical courts ignored repeated warnings about his 15.5-year-old daughter's impending marriage. The police confirmed a joint investigation with the Northern District Prosecutor's Office is underway, with a dedicated prosecutor assigned to the case.
The Ministry of Education confirmed it provided approximately 892,000 shekels to the Breslov Hasidim of Yavniel association for a recognized, non-official educational institution. A ministry representative acknowledged a lack of awareness regarding the severity of the phenomenon but pledged to investigate the data. The Ministry of Social Affairs recognized the problem but did not commit to removing children from the dangerous environment.
The Corporations Authority reported initiating oversight proceedings on sect-related associations in cooperation with the police. The Tax Authority stated it could revoke tax exemptions only after criminal convictions or the cancellation of proper management approval. The Struggle Against Trafficking and Prostitution organization presented an opinion suggesting evidence of an organized human trafficking network for forced marriage and requested the Attorney General examine the dissolution of the associations.
Legal counsel for the Council for the Child's Welfare urged immediate action against professionals who fail to report abuse, stating they "need to go home today" and face investigation. MK Cohen concluded by calling for urgent measures, including removing authority over social workers from the local council, conducting surprise school inspections, publishing inter-ministerial committee findings, and halting funding to sect-affiliated associations. She vowed the committee would reconvene until "real progress is seen."