The court has decided to extend the detention of the 17-year-old boy who was arrested yesterday • As a sign of protest, at 12:00 women in several companies across the country are expected to strike their jobs

The Ashkelon Magistrate's Court has extended the detention of the 17-year-old boy from the south, who is suspected of involvement in the gang rape incident at the "Red Sea" hotel in Eilat that took place last week.

Demonstrations following the rape in Eilat // Photo: Shmuel Buharis, Paz Bar

The boy was arrested yesterday (Saturday) morning, and after an investigation that lasted almost eight hours, the team of IDF investigators of the rape case believed, based on the evidence and evidence gathered so far, that the boy was actively involved in the rape itself.

Today at 12:00 - Women's strike

A number of companies in the economy have joined the "Women's strike - women and girls are not no man's land" event, which is scheduled for today at 12:00, following demonstrations throughout the country following the rape in Eilat, and in light of the recent violence against women.

The protest, organized by a private group of women, has so far been joined by dozens of bodies and companies in Israel that will stop working for half an hour or more. Some will even hold seminars and lectures on violence against women. Among the companies and entities are: Tel Aviv Municipality, Clal Group, Psagot Investment House, Paz Group, McCann Group, AIG, Meitav Dash, IAI, Gazit Globe, Carasso Motors and more.

The Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality will hold an extensive information activity, lectures, and thinking workshops on the subject at 12:00 among the thousands of workers. In addition, during the evening there will be demonstrations in dozens of cities and intersections around the country, with the main demonstration taking place in Rabin Square in Tel Aviv at 20:00. 

The Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality says that the municipality is committed to combating the criminal phenomenon of sexual violence and violence against women. In the past year, the Equality and Social Resilience Authority, which works extensively on the issue as an inclusive headquarters, was established in the municipality, a center for the treatment of victims and victims of sexual trauma was inaugurated, and specific grants for women's organizations were approved.

Paz said that the company supports the women's protest following the horrific rape case in Eilat, and as a sign of solidarity and protest, the company's headquarters will be sitting today for one hour starting at 12:00. The company will also support and contribute to the organization of the women's protest that is holding the demonstrations tomorrow evening around the country and in Rabin Square in Tel Aviv.

AIG Israel also encourages employees to go out to the public space at 12:00 and participate in the public protest. In light of the sexual assault in Eilat, AIG Israel donates NIS 50,000 to the Sexual Assault Victims Assistance Center in Tel Aviv and calls on other companies to join.

According to Yifat Reiter, CEO of AIG Israel, "it is impossible not to be shocked by the rape that took place in Eilat. The business sector can not stand aside. This struggle requires financial resources to support victims of sexual assault, and also to promote lesson plans in the schools in which we will educate the boys and girls of all of us what is a respectful and empathetic egalitarian relationship. I call on my friends and CEOs to join me.

The women's are also joining the protests, and for an hour on Sunday they will stop working. The company said that "Psagot workers were shocked to hear about the recent rape case in Eilat, which unfortunately joins many more cases of violence, too many. The workers will join the organized protest, and will call on Sunday -" Enough violence against women. " Immediately to prevent further incidents. "

Moran Zer Katzenstein, the initiator of the women's protest, told Israel Today: "We were surprised by the many responses from commercial companies. This is not obvious to us, especially during the Corona period. We know that more and more companies are joining, organizations and municipalities." "It excites us very much and we see it as solidarity on the part of men and women who are taking part in this thing and putting it on the agenda. It is no longer just a matter of women."