The Israel Police on Friday announced it would be launching an investigation into sexual assault allegations made against Yehuda Meshi-Zahav, co-founder and chairman of the ZAKA volunteer emergency response organization. Meshi-Zahav has denied any wrongdoing.

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The police said the investigation will be handled by the Lahav 433 Major Crimes Unit.

Meshi-Zahav, who was recently nominated for the Israel Prize over his activities as ZAKA's chief, announced he would be stepping down as head of the emergency response organization and relinquishing the prestigious award.

Some of the alleged victims cited in the report are considering filing official police complaints, although investigators were expected to question them regardless in the coming days.

According to a report in Haaretz daily, Meshi-Zahav exploited his status, power, money, and even the organization he heads to commit sexual crimes against both men and women, some of whom were minors at the time of the alleged events. The report also said Meshi-Zahav "paid" his alleged victims with money and other gifts – and also with prostitutes for sexual trysts that he would join. The report also alleged that one of Meshi-Zahav's female family members occasionally partook in these encounters.

Meshi-Zahav has denied the allegations as "baseless," but nonetheless, as stated, resigned from ZAKA and rescinded his recently received Israel Prize's lifetime achievement award.

Founded in 1989, ZAKA is one of Israel's most recognizable emergency response groups and has responded to various disasters in other countries.

In a letter addressed to ZAKA volunteers, Meshi-Zahav said that "these stories are unfounded, gossip and the settling of scores against me."

He said he was temporarily stepping down from his post because of concern over the "damage that may be caused as a result to this important organization."

While the scandal has sent shockwaves across social media, the Haredi world, along with most Haredi media outlets, has remained silent on the matter.

Despite the fact that Meshi-Zahav is a particularly prominent Haredi figure, all main Haredi news outlets, aside from the relatively small "Actualic," ignored the story for 24 hours until he gave up the Israel Prize and suspended himself from ZAKA.

In several Haredi WhatsApp forums, claims were made that certain elements, including ZAKA competitors, are trying to hurt Meshi-Zahav. Others focused on the identity of the journalists who wrote the story. "Somehow, a few dozen years later, everyone suddenly remembers to complain at the same time," one person said. "So [Meshi-Zahav] lost the [Israel Prize], and this case will likely be closed by the police due to a lack of evidence, but we as human beings – won't we have lost for participating in this boycott and social shaming?" another asked. "Aren't we behaving as if in Sodom, sealing fates without a trial?" asked another person.

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This year's Israel Prize for Lifetime Achievement is being awarded to ZAKA founder Yehuda Meshi-Zahav and Dr. Yosef Chachnover, former director general of the Foreign Ministry, Education Minister Yoav Gallant announced Tuesday.

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Meshi-Zahav recently lost both his parents to COVID-19, shortly after his brother succumbed to a serious illness.

The prize committee said that Meshi-Zahav was being awarded the lifetime achievement prize "for his exceptional contribution, both in providing help in disaster situations and for his work strengthening unity and bringing people closer together in Israeli society."

Meshi-Zahav has been the head of ZAKA for three decades. Under his leadership, the organization has played a vital role in rescues, saving lives, and identifying remains at scenes of tragedies in Israel and abroad.

"Yehuda Meshi-Zahav is devoting his life to unifying Israel, out of a feeling of devotion and true faith in the need to build bridges and carry on dialogue between all sectors of society as the key to living together in Israel," the prize committee wrote.

In response to the announcement, Meshi-Zahav told Israel Hayom: "I'm going to visit my parents' graves to tell them about the prize, and give them a few moments of joy. The prize isn't mine, it belongs to the thousands of men and women who volunteer with ZAKA who have shown that things can be done differently, and that is possible to make a positive connection with the people of Israel."

The prize committee said it was also recognizing Chachnover's life work, which it said "made a major contribution to the country in a variety of areas: security, economy, law, and foreign relations. Throughout the years of his service, he had a deciding influence in promoting Israel's interests at watershed moments."

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