Israel Court Rejects Appeal Over Boy's Return To Italy

Faizan Hashmi Published November 12, 2021 | 02:48 PM

An Israeli court has rejected an appeal against the return to family members in Italy of a child who survived a cable car accident, after his grandfather was accused of illegally taking him to Israel

Jerusalem, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Nov, 2021 ) :An Israeli court has rejected an appeal against the return to family members in Italy of a child who survived a cable car accident, after his grandfather was accused of illegally taking him to Israel.

Fourteen people, including the Israeli parents and younger brother of the six-year-old boy identified only as Eitan, were killed in the accident in Italy's northwestern Piedmont region in May.

Eitan had been entrusted by the Italian courts to his paternal aunt -- who lives in the northern Italian province of Pavia -- while his mother's family, living in Israel, had visiting rights.

The battle for custody of Eitan has captured headlines since his maternal grandfather, Shmulik Peleg, flew him to Israel on a private jet in September.

Peleg has insisted he drove Eitan from Italy to Switzerland before flying him back to Israel because Eitan's late parents had wanted him to be raised in the Jewish state.

A court in Tel Aviv ruled on October 25 that Eitan be returned to his family in Italy, a decision that was upheld on Thursday by the Tel Aviv district court.

"With all compassion for the pain of the minor's grandparents, we can only reject this appeal... We order the return of the minor to Italy within 15 days," its judges said in a verdict made public on Friday.

Peleg can still turn to the supreme court as a last resort.

An Italian judge has issued an international arrest warrant for Peleg on charges of "kidnapping, abduction and the detention of minors abroad", prosecutors said in a statement sent to AFP on Wednesday.

Also named on the arrest warrant is Israeli citizen Gabriel Alon Abutbul, whom prosecutors allege helped Peleg bring the child back on a private plane flight to Israel costing 42,000 Euros ($48,000).