Israel moves on the Eitan case, the child who survived the Mottarone tragedy in which he lost 5 family members, stolen from his legal guardian here in Italy and taken away to Israel with a real blitz.

The special unit of the Israeli police last night questioned Eitan's maternal grandfather, Shmuel Peleg and placed him under house arrest, challenging him on charges of having "kidnapped his grandson and brought him to Israel".

The man's passport was stolen, he will have to stay in his home at least until Friday, the same where Eitan also continues to live.

At present it does not seem that the decision of the Israeli authorities is linked to an Italian arrest warrant or request: "I understand that he was asked to remain at the police's disposal", explains Peleg's lawyer, the lawyer Paolo Sevesi, who is following the developments of the investigation by the Pavia prosecutor who has entered both Eitan's grandfather and grandmother in the register of suspects for kidnapping.

A spokesman for the family, Gadi Salomon, reports the words of the two, convinced that they have operated correctly: "The transfer of Eitan to Israel took place in a legal manner and after consultation with legal experts. Peleg collaborated fully with the investigators and answered all questions ".

"Tomorrow we hope to know, thanks to the Israeli police, where exactly Eitan is and we hope that he will come back to us soon," said Or Nirko, the paternal uncle of the child, who welcomes the news from Tel Aviv. "House arrest? It's a good start. I just hope this saga ends as soon as possible for the child's mental well-being", concludes the man, husband of Aya Biran, Eitan's legal guardian.

While the clash between the two branches of the family continues, the Public Prosecutor of Pavia extends the investigation to the alleged complicity in the kidnapping.

What appears increasingly probable, however, is that the definition of the sad story of little Eitan could come from diplomatic contacts, from the decisions of Italy and Israel and from those of the judicial authority of the Middle Eastern country.

The paternal aunt and guardian Aya Biran filed, through Israeli lawyers, a petition to the Tel Aviv Court asking for the child to return to Italy on the basis of the Hague Convention. In fact, Article 29 of the Hague Convention allows the holder of the right of custody to "apply directly to the competent court to request the return of the abducted child, even without the intermediation of the central authorities".

(Unioneonline / L)

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