Israeli Committee Reveals Underage Marriages Persist in Yavne'el Despite Police Raids

During a Knesset follow-up hearing on underage marriages in the northern Israeli town of Yavne'el, witnesses testified that child marriages continue even after recent police enforcement actions. The discussion, held on Wednesday by the Committee for the Advancement of the Status of Women and Gender Equality, included harsh criticism of authorities for failing to stop the practice despite arrests made in recent weeks.

Sara Maimoni, who said she was married at age 15 against her will and became a mother at 16, condemned the police operation, claiming that hours after the raid and arrests, another child marriage took place in Yavne'el. She accused the police of targeting innocent people while leaving the main perpetrators free, calling the enforcement "a big and dangerous bluff."

Committee Chair Merav Cohen vowed to continue fighting the issue, stating the committee would keep addressing the problem even after the Knesset dissolves. MK Yoav Segalovich, a former police intelligence commander, described the phenomenon as openly occurring and urged full use of all available legal powers.

Police representative Deputy Commissioner Shlomit Landes said the investigation is ongoing and enforcement efforts will continue, emphasizing this is not a one-time operation. Clalit Health Services' Nurit Eitan Gutman highlighted difficulties in identifying cases, noting that girls often come for medical care accompanied by family, limiting their ability to speak freely.

The committee concluded that alongside criminal enforcement, a broad inter-ministerial cooperation involving education, welfare, health, and law enforcement agencies is essential to protect girls and prevent underage marriages. They called for the full application of existing authorities to address the issue effectively.