Israeli Mother and Daughter Arrested in Namibia Over Forged Passports
Translated & summarized from Ice by baba
An Israeli mother and daughter, Mali and Liel Yahalomi, have been arrested in Namibia on suspicion of possessing forged passports. The pair had previously disappeared from Vienna in August, only to be found in Argentina two months later. The disappearance sparked a large-scale search involving Israeli police and international cooperation. Authorities believe their vanishing act was planned, and they are now facing charges related to false documents.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Mali and Liel Yahalomi, an Israeli mother and daughter, were arrested in Namibia for alleged possession of forged passports.
- The pair had previously disappeared from Vienna in August and were later found in Argentina.
- Their disappearance in August led to extensive searches and public appeals for information.
- Israeli police believe the disappearance was pre-planned, involving travel through multiple countries.
- The current arrest in Namibia is related to the use of forged travel documents.
Mali and Liel Yahalomi, an Israeli mother and daughter from the Modi'in area, have been arrested in Namibia, southern Africa, on suspicion of possessing forged passports. The arrest comes two months after the pair, who had disappeared from Vienna in August, were located in Argentina. The mother, 50, and daughter, 23, left Israel on August 4, 2026, traveling first to Prague and then to Vienna, where they rented an apartment. Contact with them was lost on August 7, and their phones were found the next day near the Vienna train station. When police entered their rented apartment, their belongings were missing. Extensive searches were launched, drawing significant public attention, with the Israeli embassy in Vienna appealing for help in locating them. The investigation was transferred to Lahav 433, a special police unit, and the family raised funds for the search efforts.
On August 14, a week after their disappearance, Mali and Liel were found on an intercity bus heading to Buenos Aires, Argentina, by Israeli police intelligence, with assistance from local police. At that time, they were reported to be healthy and unharmed, and police stated there was no suspicion of terrorism or wrongdoing on their part, indicating the communication cutoff was voluntary. Police sources suggested the disappearance was pre-planned, involving travel through several countries to South America using alternative phones and cutting off contact. Now, after being found in Argentina previously, they have been arrested in Namibia in connection with forged passports. Israeli authorities anticipate that Israeli police may be asked to assist in the ongoing investigation.
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