Rabbi's suspicious death continues to raise questions
Rabbi Moshe Talbi's suspicious death near West Bank settlement continues to raise questions. Police insist no foul play involved; family wonders why police refuse to launch murder probe
Almost three weeks have passed since Rabbi Moshe Talbi was found dead at the Revava junction – and the questions keep adding up.
Rabbi Talbi, 54, father of seven and grandfather of four, from Moshav Haspin in the Golan Heights, was found dead of a gunshot wound to the head near the gates of the Revava settlement on March 23. He was found near his car, the engine still running, with his gun at his side.
After an initial investigation, police forensic units who arrived at the scene determined ruled the case an apparent suicide. Yet evidence that was allegedly improperly examined raises doubts and suspicions that the incident was in fact a murder.
Following a Yedioth Ahronoth report questioning the police's ruling, the department has now given the Talbi family footage taken from the settlement's security cameras near the scene of the incident, depicting the final critical moments before the incident. The family claims that the blurry images expose new findings that strengthen their supposition that this was not a suicide.
The footage shows a white vehicle nearing the Revava junction from the northern side, making a right in the direction of the settlement and stopping. Two figures are then seen exiting the vehicle and one is clearly seen heading towards the settlement and disappearing from the screen.
New witnesses
About a minute later, another vehicle arrives from the south – most likely Rabbi Talbi's car – it takes a left and stops right near the white vehicle.The events that follow are not seen on screen but it is believed that this is the moment Talbi walked to the ditch at the side of the road – where he was later found. Though it is as yet unclear what role if any the first vehicle played in the affair, it means that there are at least two witnesses to the incident.
The security tape is currently being analyzed by police forensic labs.
Last Thursday saw several members of the Talbi's family meet with the investigating officers. The family criticized the police's haste in ruling the death a suicide, and with the help of a pathologist, detailed the list of questions raised during their private investigation.
The family said that the meeting did little to give them answers. The police explained that the leading line in the investigation was still suicide, but that due to the family's special request they were willing to launch a new investigation – but not declare it a murder investigation.
As part of their efforts to prove their claims, the family sent a letter to Internal Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch, Police Commissioner Dudi Cohen, designated-Commissioner Danny Danino and the local police chiefs. In the letter, Mrs. Talbi demands Shin Bet involvement in the case, stating that in light of the new findings, the investigation must be declared a and murder case.
'Circumstances under investigation'
Included in the new findings presented by the family is blood spatter found at the scene, which they claim shows that Talbi was shot lying down – calling police claims that the bruises found on his body were caused by a fall into question.
The family is demanding that police investigators take several measures, including an attempt to find the white car and its drivers, an attempt to triangulate the cellular signal of those in the area at the time of the incident, checking all security camera footage in the area, and examining Palestinian hospital records for anyone admitted with gunshot wounds on the day of the incident.
The Talbi family is also demanding that anyone in the area – security guards, settlement residents etc. be questioned. They also criticized police for not sending a mobile forensic unit to the scene – something which could have helped to determine whether blood found at the scene belonged to someone other than Talbi.
Finally, the family is demanding that a new investigative team be appointed as the current team which first determined that this was a case of suicide, would not be interested in reinvestigating a case and reaching conclusions which could cost them their jobs.
A police statement said in response that, "The circumstances of the incident are still under investigation and so naturally we cannot address the claims presented. The findings are known to the investigators who are pursuing a number of avenues of investigation – when the investigation is completed the case findings will be passed on to the relevant authorities.
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