The whole country was looking for Meli and Liel Yahalomi — and then Walter arrived

Chief Superintendent Walter Kogan is the Israel Police representative in South America. Yesterday, the senior officer from the police intelligence division became one of the most well-known and beloved figures in the country due to his calm demeanor. He was dispatched following investigative leads to a bus where Meli and Liel Yahalomi were traveling toward Argentina. Chief Superintendent Kogan introduced himself, asked them to accompany him for a conversation, and afterwards, since no crime was found, he ordered their release. On social media, Chief Superintendent Kogan received significant attention, with users posting a series of amusing tweets about him.

It was learned by Maariv that the mother, who had accumulated debts totaling hundreds of thousands of shekels to banks and public institutions, decided to change her life and start anew. She left Israel with a modest amount of money, arrived in Vienna with her daughter, and from there, according to a prior plan, the two set off for Argentina.

Police understood from the outset that this was not a criminal event or a kidnapping with a terrorist background. However, under the instruction of the Police Commissioner, Rav-Nitzav Dani Levy, a global operation was launched in coordination with the Vienna police, Interpol, and other agencies until they managed to trace the pair. Immediately afterward, the signal was given to Chief Superintendent Kogan to initiate the official action.

"Hi Meli, hi Liel, I'm Walter, the police representative in South America, okay? From the Israel Police intelligence division," Chief Superintendent Kogan addressed Meli and Liel Yahalomi kindly and sensitively, whose disappearance had troubled almost every citizen in the country. "I want to ask you a few questions. We were very worried about you, okay? I'm getting everyone off the bus and then we'll talk, okay?"