ZAKA founder and chairman Yehuda Meshi-Zahav visited the headquarters of the Israel Police's Lahav 433 Major Crimes Unit on Monday to speak on his own behalf in the investigation recently launched into allegations that he has committed multiple sex crimes against Haredi children and women.

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Meshi-Zahav arrived a day after the Israel Police made a formal announcement that an investigation had been opened into the allegations against him. A police officer met with him at the gate and informed him that the visit was irregular, as he had not yet been summoned to provide testimony, after which Meshi-Zahav left.

As of Monday, none of the alleged victims had filed official complaints with the police. The Israel Police have reached out to a few of the alleged victims, but most refused to come forward.

One of Meshi-Zahav's close associates said Monday that "he can't stand what the media is doing to him anymore."

"He denies the allegations against him in the media and feels a strong desire to know what is suspected of and give his version," the associate said.

Meshi-Zahav's attorney, Ephraim Dimari, said, "My client, believing in his innocence, took the unusual step and presented himself for questioning at Lahav 433. My client has nothing to hide, everything is malicious rumors."

Meanwhile, Zviki Fleishman and Shana Aharonson from the organization Magen, which provides mental health support to members of the Haredi community, who contributed to the Haaretz expose about Meshi-Zahav's alleged acts, also arrived at the Lahav 433 headquarters on Monday, where they handed over material regarding the alleged crimes, as well as the contact details of a few of the people who spoke to journalists and others who contacted Magen in the last few days since the story broke.

As the investigation progresses, a number of senior ZAKA officials and Haredi public officials are expected to be summoned to give evidence as the police attempt to determine whether or not they knew about the alleged acts and failed to report them.

Since the expose ran, more men and women have spoken to the media, claiming to have been sexually assaulted by Meshi-Zahav, and alleging that he had threatened them to keep them from disclosing what had happened.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the affair in an interview with Army Radio on Monday and said he "hoped it isn't true."

"Sexual molestation of women and children is something that should brought to justice," he said.

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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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Co-founder and chairman of the ZAKA volunteer emergency response organization, Yehuda Meshi-Zahav, was accused Thursday of sexual assault, rape, and abuse by six people in a report by the Haaretz daily, which said there are likely many more cases.

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The allegations against Meshi-Zahav, who is a prominent figure in the ultra-Orthodox community who earlier this month was awarded the Israel Prize's lifetime achievement award, were made by both men and women, some of whom were minors at the time of the alleged events.

Meshi-Zahav denied the allegations. "The claims are baseless; I don't know how I'll be able to rehabilitate my good name in light of the irrevocable damage caused to me."

According to the Haaretz report, 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.

Some of the young women allegedly exploited by Meshi-Zahav, according to the report, called him a "righteous person" and testified that he supported them financially. They also, however, detailed sexual acts he performed on them, including acts of degradation.

Meshi-Zahav took advantage of his status, power, money, and even the organization he heads to commit sexual assault, the Haaretz report said.

One alleged victim said he forcibly undressed her and raped her after offering financial aid. The woman said that while Meshi-Zahav forced himself on her, he threatened, "If you talk, a ZAKA jeep will run you over."

One of Meshi-Zahav's alleged male victims claimed the Zaka chairman sexually molested him at the synagogue where they prayed together, when he was only five years old.

Another said Meshi-Zahav repeatedly abused him when he was a teen, only realizing years later he was his "escort, a prostitute in the full sense of the word," he told Haaretz.

The report said several other women have testified that he masturbated in front of them and touched them sexually.

Of the six allegations reported, the earliest is from 1983, and the latest from 2011. At least one case reached police, but was closed in 2014 due to a lack of evidence.

A source who spoke to Israel Hayom confirmed the general veracity of the Haaretz report, without confirming any of the allegations specifically. The source said many residents of several ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods in Jerusalem knew of Meshi-Zahav's actions but did not say anything or report him to authorities.

"It's a shame that the acts attributed to Meshi-Zahav will now stain the entire Haredi community, especially seeing as how he hasn't belonged to it for many years now," the source told Israel Hayom.

The source also told Israel Hayom that after it was announced that Meshi-Zahav had won the Israel Prize's lifetime achievement award, he asked a prominent figure in the Haredi community how to deal with the problematic situation. The prominent figure, according to the source, told him: "The fact that you chose him to [light the torch] on Independence Day is your problem; [in the Haredi community] he doesn't count."

In his denial of the allegations, Meshi-Zahav added: "My request to receive elementary information and basic details was rejected. I asked to meet, and was rejected. I demanded to respond to the [Haaretz] report, which is essentially a 'targeted assassination,' within two hours.

"I will say generally that it appears Haaretz has fallen prey to elements with commercial and economic interests [who wish] to cause me harm. They are joined by extremist elements from the Haredi world, who are affronted by my unique path [in that world]. These elements have launched a campaign of vengeance against me, among other reasons because my children enlisted in the IDF, two of them in combat units, because after lighting the Independence Day torch I said, 'To the glory of the State of Israel,' and now, after the announcement that I won the Israel Prize.

"Added to this is my occasional criticism about some of the more extremist leaders in the Haredi sector. Ever since it was announced I would receive the Israel Prize, I have been targeted with various threats via telephone. Following the death of my parents, I received phone calls expressing joy at their passing. I was spit on in the street. I received other threats, too, some of which I sent to Haaretz as well. To my sorrow, this is part of the price I pay for the path that I chose."

Meshi-Zahav was a vocal critic of some of the ultra-Orthodox leadership during the coronavirus pandemic, as some prominent community figures downplayed the virus.

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

In addition to providing emergency response services and assisting in search and rescue operations, ZAKA also helps in the grim task of finding and identifying body parts following terror attacks, air crashes and other disasters.

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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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The father of Zaka founder Yehuda Meshi-Zahav died Saturday after collapsing earlier that day. He was taken to the Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital in Jerusalem, where he passed away.

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Meshi Zahav lost his mother to COVID-19 earlier last week and his brother to a serious illness last month.

In a Facebook post, Meshi Zahav shared the pain of the tragedies that occurred "all within 30 days" and said that despite the "difficult and painful test," he remains steadfast in his faith.

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At the request of Orthodox and Hasidic Jews, an Israeli team this week began mapping out the floor of the Danube in Budapest in search of the remains of Holocaust victims murdered on the riverbank by Hungarian fascists in 1944 and 1945.

"Disturbing the resting place of the dead is a complex and sensitive matter," the Federation of Hungarian Jewish Communities, or Mazsihisz, said on its website.

"Bones have probably scattered in the 75 years and could have been washed as far downstream as the Black Sea ... searching for them is needless and breaches the peace and dignity of the dead, Jewish or [non-Jews]. It breaches the Halacha [Jewish religious law]," the message read.

More than half a million Hungarian Jews were killed in the Holocaust, including thousands shot on the riverbank by the pro-Nazi Arrow Cross party, which briefly ruled Hungary towards the end of World War II.

In 2016, after some Jewish remains were uncovered from the riverbed during the renovation of a Budapest bridge, the victims were honored in a symbolic burial by all Jewish congregations. Mazsihisz says that was sufficient.

But Orthodox and Hasidic Jews asked the Israeli volunteer search and rescue group ZAKA to look for more remains. ZAKA plans to return to Budapest with divers in February.

ZAKA's project leader, Ilan Berkovich, said the project would go on unless the Orthodox and Hasidic communities said otherwise.

"I guess [the Mazsihisz complaint] has more to do with the internal politics of those groups; we try not to be involved," he said.

The Hasidic Unified Hungarian Israelite Congregation (EMIH), which plans to transfer the remains to Israel, said this week that it was "righteous" to transfer the dead to a new grave if the previous one had been flooded.

A spokesman said EMIH considered it a moral obligation to give a full burial to any remains still in the river.

It is not the first issue to split Hungary's strong and vibrant community of about 100,000 Jews: a planned new Holocaust museum in Budapest, which EMIH owns but Mazsihisz and others criticized, was also a bone of contention.

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