Family of Murdered Israeli Woman Blames Police for Failing to Prevent Killing

The family of Leah Malka Cohen confronted the Israeli police during a heated Knesset committee hearing on violence against women, accusing them of negligence that led to her murder. Leah, 35, a mother of a two-year-old, was killed in early June when a half-kilogram explosive device detonated in her car on the Ayalon Highway. Despite months of explicit threats from her ex-partner, who sent 157 threatening messages including 95 in one night, the family claims police failed to act adequately to protect her.

Leah's father, Yaakov Malka, described how police dismissed his complaints after he spent hours at the station reporting the threats. He accused the police of being "covered in the blood of my daughter," insisting the murder could have been prevented. Leah's mother, Yehudit Malka, a 33-year police veteran, also criticized the police for their inadequate response, noting that Leah was once asked to come to the station at night with her young child despite the danger.

During the session, police acknowledged for the first time that an internal investigation would be conducted into how the case was handled, contradicting earlier statements that the police response was flawless. It was revealed that the suspect had previously been released to house arrest and that charges related to the threats were only filed after Leah's death. Committee chair Merav Cohen condemned the authorities, stating, "Women are not protected in Israel. The warning signs were clear, but the authorities failed to act in time." She called for mandatory use of risk assessment tools to ensure immediate intervention in cases of repeated threats.