'Dramatic progress' in Migdal Haemek murder case

Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch says there has been "significant progress" in the investigation into the murder of 20-year-old Shelly Dadon, whose body was found stabbed to death in an abandoned parking lot in Migdal Haemek last week.

"I have been updated on the investigation by the Northern District Police and the Shin Bet, and I can say that there has been significant progress in the investigation, progress that I would consider dramatic. I hope the day that the murderers will be caught and put on trial to pay the price is not far away," Aharonovitch said.

A publication ban has been placed on the details of the investigation, and the Israel Police and Shin Bet security agency have yet to officially present a motive for the crime.

Aharonovitch spoke after visiting the Dadon family residence in Afula on Friday to offer condolences to the murdered woman's bereaved parents, Ilana and Yaakov, and siblings, Shlomi, Omri and Daniel. He was joined by Northern District Police commander Maj. Gen. Zohar Dvir, Northern District Central Division Police Commander Moshe Cohen, who is in charge of the investigation, Afula police commander Chief Superintendent Eitan Menashe and a Shin Bet representative.

After leaving the family's home, Aharonovitch said, "I have just come from offering my condolences to the Dadon family. The situation is so difficult and painful. This was a girl who served in the army and was on her way to a job interview when she was murdered. ... Murdering a girl on her way to a job interview is the lowest [crime]. I cannot elaborate because of the publication ban on the investigation of the case, but soon we will know who the murderers are and what their motive was."

Aharonovitch stressed that police were working to increase security in the area, and promised to look into what else could be done in Afula and in other northern cities to reinforce residents' security.

During Aharonovitch's visit, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called and spoke to the bereaved father.

"The prime minister offered his condolences and promised to do everything to catch the murderers," Yaakov Dadon said.

"I thanked him and asked not to release terrorists, because it only increases their motivation to kill more young women. He promised to make sure residents [of the area] are safe.

"I trust the police and the Shin Bet, who are doing serious, professional work, and I believe they will catch the murderers, but that will not bring my daughter back to me. My daughter was murdered, but if the community's police are reinforced, it may prevent another disaster."

Strategic Affairs, Intelligence and International Relations Minister Yuval Steinitz, Interior Minister Gideon Sa'ar, Economy and Trade Minister Naftali Bennett and Afula Mayor Yitzhak Meron also visited the Dadon family.

Bennett spoke with the family for a long time. He told them it was time for Jews to stop fearing murderers, and for murderers to start fearing Jews.

"Shelly Dadon is the daughter of the entire nation," Bennett said, adding that he opposes the release of terrorists by the government.

Upon leaving the Dadon family home, Sa'ar said: "This is a vile incident. I came to offer support to the family in this difficult time, which we can all understand as parents and as people. I hope and believe that whoever carried out this crime will be punished.

"It was very important to me to come here. I saw Minister Aharonovitch here, and that speaks for itself. No one sent me. I came to empathize with and to support the family. We have an important role as a government to work against the murderers and to do everything we can to ensure that these incidents of murder and terrorism do not happen again."

'Don't take her from me'

The body of Shelly Dadon, who was on her way to a job interview, was discovered by police during a routine patrol at 4 p.m. last Thursday. Finding evidence of violence and stab wounds on her body, the officers alerted Magen David Adom and a crew of paramedics rushed to the scene. Dadon was pronounced dead on site.

Upon arriving at the scene with investigators, Norther District commander Maj. Gen. Zohar Dvir announced he would turn the case over to the Northern District central investigative unit.

Police were pursuing the possibility that the crime was carried out from nationalistic motives, making it a potential terrorist attack, a senior police official in the Northern District said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Dadon's family was called to the Migdal Haemek parking lot to identify the body. Her father began wailing when he recognized his daughter.

"Why God, why? She was my only daughter. She just came to look for work. A 20-year-old girl. My only daughter, I cannot live without her. Don't take her from me," he sobbed.

An officer in the Northern District central investigative unit said the site where police discovered Dadon's body was very close to where taxi driver Yafim Weinstein of Nazereth Illit was slain in a 2009 terrorist attack.

"It's a classic murder site," the officer, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said. "It's a thicket of bushes located in a distant and isolated area in the industrial zone, very close to the highway between Migdal Haemek, Nazareth and several surrounding villages. Whoever knows the area well would have no problem carrying out an act like this and then disappearing."