Israeli Activist Helps Belarusian Mother Bury Daughter, Fight for Grandson

Lili Ben-Ami, an activist and Knesset candidate, is assisting Anna Rusinova, a Belarusian mother whose daughter, Yanina Rusinova, was allegedly murdered by her husband in Haifa, Israel. Ben-Ami is helping Anna navigate Israeli bureaucracy to repatriate her daughter's body for burial in Belarus and to secure custody of her two-month-old grandson.

Anna Rusinova learned of her daughter's death five days after it occurred and was initially unaware of her grandson's whereabouts. Ben-Ami, who founded the Michal Sela Forum for victims of domestic violence after her own sister was murdered by her husband seven years ago, has personally accompanied Anna since she was informed. They have contacted multiple Israeli authorities, including the police, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, social services, and the "Bituah Leumi" (National Insurance Institute), to facilitate the transfer of Yanina's body to Belarus.

Ben-Ami is also advocating for the child's placement with his maternal grandparents in Belarus, a process that requires a decision from competent authorities. She has also provided legal assistance to the family and helped them connect with the investigation team. Ben-Ami expressed frustration with the bureaucratic hurdles faced by grieving families, stating that the state should provide a dedicated coordinator to assist them through the complex legal and social service systems, similar to how the IDF supports families of fallen soldiers.

Yanina Rusinova, 30, was found with severe neck injuries in her Haifa apartment on September 24 and died at Rambam Hospital. Her husband, 28-year-old Ali Maswadeh, was arrested on suspicion of murder, though he claims Yanina inflicted the injuries herself and he attempted to save her. Yanina had immigrated to Israel six years prior and met Maswadeh, who has a Jewish mother and Muslim father. According to Anna, her daughter's life became "hell" after the birth of their son due to her husband's intense jealousy and accusations of infidelity.

Ben-Ami, who is running for the Knesset with the Yisrael Beiteinu party, aims to establish a state mechanism to support families of murder victims. She also referenced a previous legislative success, an amendment to custody laws that restricts parental rights if a parent is accused of murdering the other. Ben-Ami urged the media to remember Yanina Rusinova by her own name, not by the surname of the suspect, and called for greater societal awareness and intervention in cases of domestic abuse to prevent such tragedies.