Israeli Mother and Daughter Arrested in Namibia With Fake Passports

Mali and Liel Yahalomi, an Israeli mother and daughter who disappeared in August and were later found in South America, have been arrested in Namibia for possessing forged passports. Israeli police were informed of their detention and are seeking to understand the circumstances, including why the pair needed fake documents. Israeli police stated they are not involved in the Namibian investigation but are working to clarify the details of the arrest.

The Yahalomis were located in Argentina in August, a week after contact was lost during their trip abroad. An Israeli police representative met with them on a bus in Argentina to ensure they were not in danger and that no criminal suspicions existed. At the time, they stated they had cut off contact voluntarily. It later emerged that Mali Yahalomi had accumulated debts exceeding NIS 200,000, which was the background to their departure.

An investigative source indicated at the time that the pair were not seeking a country without an extradition treaty with criminal intent, but were exploring legal ways to withdraw cash for travel. They reportedly chose a country with a relatively low local currency. Their disappearance had triggered an international search operation after they left Israel in a planned manner, intending to start anew abroad. They traveled through Prague and Vienna before contact was lost and they missed their return flight to Israel.

Family members, unaware of their plans, became concerned. The extensive search operation, involving international law enforcement and security agencies, eventually located them in Argentina. After the police representative met with them, they confirmed they had left voluntarily and were not in danger. Shortly after being found, Liel Yahalomi spoke tearfully with family in Israel, assuring them they were fine and that their actions were voluntary, expressing regret for the distress caused.