Israeli mother abducts child, French father devastated
A year ago seven-year-old Daniel was kidnapped to Israel from Paris by his mother. Supreme Court refutes arguments claiming father was abusive, orders father and son return to France, but mother disappears with child
This Thursday, French citizen Pierre was due to board a flight from Tel Aviv to Paris with his seven-year old son Daniel, following a ruling of the Supreme Court after a year of deliberation, that the boy be returned to France with his father.
The Israeli mother, Rinat, originally a member of kibbutz who had become religious, cut off all contact with social services and went missing last week together with her son. The police are currently searching for the two.
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Father Pierre says he is going through torture. "There's no other word that describes what I've been going through since they dropped this bomb on me. I've been connected to this child day-in, day-out, and since I haven't been able to see him I've simply collapsed. I don't sleep at night, nor function during the day," he states.
The sad story actually started like a whirlwind romance. Pierre and Rinat met in 2001 at a Paris film festival, and having formed an attachment they kept in touch from long distance. A year later their eldest son Daniel was born in Israel. Shortly afterwards the couple married in a civil ceremony in Cyprus and settled down in Rinat's kibbutz in Israel. The couple stayed in the kibbutz for almost five years but eventually moved their family to France.
Cracks in the love affair first appeared in April 2008 when Rinat returned to Israel in order to give birth to their second child, leaving Pierre in Paris. A month later Pierre arrived in Israel looking forward to being at his wife's side as she gives birth. He could not have imagined what would be facing him. Pierre said that upon his arrival Rinat's mother greeted him with a restraining order from his wife and son, apparently after Rinat told the court he was an abusive father.
"I was shocked. I experienced something similar to a breakdown…it was a nightmare," he relates.
Shortly after, Pierre managed to conclude that his wife had apparently convinced some friends to testify in her favor, even convincing the social worker she was at danger. After having recovered from the initial shock, Pierre decided to try battle the matter out legally, and attempted to gain custody of his son.
Court rules out abuse
According to International law all hearings regarding custody must be held in the country the child resides in, in this case France. The mother tried to override this by claiming her son was at danger in France but her claim was rejected. The court appointed a psychologist and a social worker to check traces of abuse by the father to his wife and son, and those were quickly ruled out.
Meanwhile, Pierre has yet to see his other son who was born in Israel. Seeing as his legal status is different than his brother's, having been born in Israel, he shall remain in the mother's custody.
Last Monday Rinat was scheduled to bring Daniel to the welfare bureau in the community she is currently residing in, in order to turn him over to his father as ordered by the court. However she failed to turn up and did not answer telephone calls. Consequently, charges were pressed against her. Pierre says that "recently she became religious. I'm scared they (religious people) might be hiding her."
He further adds, "I'm an optimistic person. I don't know how this whole affair will end. What is most important for me right now is that they find them. He's living in hiding, it's a stressfully situation and unhealthy for a child."
Pierre says about Daniel, "He's a happy child. He loves football and Karate...he has a whole separate life in Paris."
Responses
Israeli police said that the whole case was turned over to the central unit in the relevant district, "the police are taking measures to locate the mother and son", one source said. Another source at the central unit mentioned that the investigation has only just started.
The welfare bureau at the mother's community stated "The welfare bureau is fully coordinated with the police. In this case too, the bureau has operated in accordance with the law."
No response from Rinat was received. Her mother and lawyer have decline comment.
