The Right to Disappear Does Not Absolve Responsibility for Consequences

Buki Katzman argues that Melli and Liel Yahalomi, who disappeared from Jerusalem and were found, should bear responsibility for the costs of the search, estimated at millions of shekels. He asserts that if they knew about the search, they had a moral and even legal duty to inform that they were safe, and that the public should not pay for unnecessary searches. He calls for a discussion on the question of recovering expenses.

Buki Katzman, a ynet commentator, argues that Melli and Liel Yahalomi, who disappeared from Jerusalem and were found after an extensive search, should bear responsibility for the search costs. He notes that the expenses are 'enormous' and likely amount to millions of shekels. Katzman emphasizes that the women's right to disappear does not absolve them of responsibility, and if they knew about the search, they had a moral and even legal duty (the duty to mitigate damages) to inform that they were safe. He calls for a public discussion on the question of recovering expenses, arguing that the public should not pay for unnecessary searches. Additionally, he criticizes the police, who should consider more carefully before deploying public resources on such a scale, and ask questions about the level of risk and the chance of success. The central message: one must know when to search and when to stop.