Woman killed in Galilee town, husband arrested
Man had reportedly separated from his wife over previous altercations; number of suspected domestic violence murders surpasses tally for all of 2019
A woman was found dead in a home in the Galilee town of Tuba-Zangariyye late Thursday, police said, in a suspected case of domestic violence.
The woman, in her 50s, was found with signs of violence on her body and declared dead at the scene by medics. Her husband, in his 60s, was arrested on suspicion of having killed her, police said.
Police suspect the husband, who had moved to Tuba-Zangariyye from another Galilee town after separating from his wife due to domestic violence concerns, saw her during a visit there and killed her, according to a report by the Ynet news site.
It was not clear if the man had a restraining order against him.
In June, the top level Ministerial Committee for Legislation voted to back a bill to impose electronic tracking on violent men who have restraining orders against them. The system would alert its carrier and police if the man approaches his victim or home in contravention of a court order.
There have been 14 suspected cases of women in Israel murdered in 2020 by someone known to them, surpassing the 13 similar fatalities in 2019.
Police and social service organizations have reported a major rise in domestic violence complaints since the start of the coronavirus crisis, as many families stayed at home for extended periods of time combined with high levels of stress.
On June 1, thousands of Israelis gathered at a demonstration in Tel Aviv to demand government action to end violence against women. It was the second such protest in less than a month.
Organizers said most of the NIS 250 million ($71 million) approved in 2017 for national programs to prevent domestic violence have not yet been transferred to relevant authorities.
The rally came as the Welfare and Social Services Ministry published figures that showed a 112 percent increase in the number of complaints about domestic violence it received to its hotline in May compared to April.
In May, the Knesset approved the formation of a subcommittee to combat domestic violence against women, which will sit under the Knesset Committee for the Advancement of Women. Feminist groups expressed outrage after MK Oded Forer, the only man on the committee, was chosen as its new chair.
The Times of Israel Community.