The disappearance of Mali and Liel Yahalomi: New details about the days leading up to their escape from Israel and the reality they left behind were revealed tonight (Saturday night) on Channel 12.
According to Danny Hecht's report, the decision to leave was based on heavy debts of more than 200,000 shekels, which had accumulated over a long period of time and were steadily increasing.
According to sources involved in the case, just a few days before their disappearance, Lili Yahalomi attended a surprise party for her 50th birthday, but her family and close friends did not notice any unusual signs and did not suspect that she and her daughter were planning to leave Israel - and disappear.
After they were located in Argentina, daughter Liel, through a representative of the local police, called her family members who had gathered at Grandma Tzipi's house.
In the conversation, which took place late at night, Liel was heard crying and saying that the two were fine and that the entire move was done voluntarily. She also expressed sorrow for the concern caused to the family and promised to update later.
The apartment they rented in Modi'in was found furnished and full of equipment, with no signs indicating a planned move.
Even Mali's son, Eviatar, an ultra-Orthodox convert who remained in Israel with his son and was financially supported by his mother, knew nothing about the plans. He was the one who gave the team the family set up the passwords to the computer and iPad that the two left in the rented apartment in Modi'in - tools that later helped trace them.
Sources involved in the investigation believe that Mali's financial situation was one of the main reasons for her escape. According to them, she tried for a long time to improve her situation, completed a master's degree in order to increase her salary and was even promoted at work, but despite this, she had difficulty reducing the debts that continued to accumulate.
The family estimates that the decision to hide the plan also stemmed from fears that family members would prevent them from leaving the country or try to help cover the debts.
According to the report, some family members even served as guarantors for Mali's financial obligations, a fact that made the secrecy even more significant.
It was also reported that after the two were located in Argentina, family members were shocked to see Mali without a headscarf - a notable change for someone who converted about twenty years ago.
Some relatives interpreted this as another sign that the two want to start a new chapter and leave their previous lives in Israel behind.
Meanwhile, while Mali and Liel are in South America, the family members are left to deal with the consequences that remain in Israel - from taking care of the apartment and the leased vehicles, to the dog that was left behind, to helping Mali's son and grandson.
At the same time, the police continue to clarify that the examinations conducted so far indicate that this was not a kidnapping, but a personal decision made by the two to leave Israel.
A source involved in the investigation wants to put things in perspective - and told Channel 12: "Contrary to the reports, they did not seek a country without an extradition agreement with criminal intent, and in general they did not commit a criminal offense. They were mainly looking for how much cash they could legally withdraw from the bank to enter the country, and chose a country whose currency was relatively low.""
