Shelly Dadon
Shelly DadonCourtesy of the Dadon Family

The Ministry of Defense finally recognized murdered 20 year-old Shelly Dadon, hy"d, as a victim of terror Monday, over two weeks after an indictment was filed proving that her murder was due to nationalistic motives. 

Dadon's family will receive government assistance due to the decision, as all bereaved families do under Israeli law.

These include psychological assistance, insurance (Bituach Leumi) benefits, and other monetary compensation. 

In addition, Dadon will receive official recognition at the annual Memorial Day ceremonies held at the military cemetery on Har Herzl. 

Police found Dadon's body in an abandoned Migdal Haemek parking lot on May 1. 

Dadon had no criminal record; she had been on her way to a job interview but did not make contact with her family for several hours.

Family say she tried to make contact, saying she was being strangled; when they found out that she had never shown up for the interview, they contacted police. Her body was found a short time later by patrolmen.

Dadon's murder sparked controversy, after police made a series of confusing statements about the murder - saying first that the murder was an act of terror, then retracting it, then repeating those statements on more than one occasion. Family members later accused the Israel Police of covering up the murder in Israeli and international media to avoid backlash. 

Earlier this month, the Israel Security Agency (ISA or Shin Bet) finally announced the arrest of 34-year-old Hussein Yousef Khalifa, from the Arab village of Iblin in the Galilee, who later confessed to the murder. 

Details of the murder indicate a gruesome and premeditated attack on Dadon; the indictment states that Khalifa "showed no mercy" on the 20-year old.