Ethiopian-Israeli Family Protests for 8 Days Over Missing Daughter

The Kassau family has been protesting for eight days in a sukkah erected outside the government compound in Jerusalem, demanding a meeting with the Prime Minister and the head of the Shin Bet regarding their missing daughter, Haimanot Kassau. It has been 949 days since Haimanot disappeared, and her parents, Tsephya and Banchi Kassau, express growing frustration with the perceived indifference of politicians.

While many opposition figures have visited their protest site, including Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid of the 'Bayit Yehudi' party who met with them on Thursday, the family feels their pleas are being ignored by the highest levels of government. "I don't know what the politicians who meet with us think in their hearts, but outwardly they say Haimanot is the child of us all," stated Tsephya Kassau, Haimanot's father, as he prepared for a march to the Western Wall. "We demand a meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu and with the head of the Shin Bet, but there is no response from them."

The family, who immigrated from Ethiopia five years ago, has received support from the public and youth movements, including the "Shahar" tribe of the Bnei Akiva youth movement. The youth group prepared supportive materials and held a circle with the Kassau parents. The branch's leader apologized for the movement's limited involvement, citing the greater focus on hostages and the ongoing war. Tsephya Kassau acknowledged this, noting that people express shame for not doing more to help find Haimanot.

The Jerusalem Municipality denied the family's request to set up a tent outside the Prime Minister's residence. The current sukkah is not equipped to withstand the approaching Jerusalem winter. The family continues their search for their daughter, with no leads and a perceived lack of assistance from the state.