Divorcee ordered to return her daughter to Israel by London judge
Israeli woman told her six-year-old daughter must go back to the Jewish state, after being flown to England in November 2017
An Israeli divorcee who left Israel and flew to England with her daughter has been ordered to return the child by a family court judge in London after her ex-husband took legal action.
The woman and the little girl, who is now six, had arrived in London in November 2017, Judge Darren Howe heard.
Her ex-husband made an application under an international convention seeking his daughter’s return.
The woman said the youngster would suffer “psychological harm” if returned to her father in Israel and complained about the way her ex-husband had behaved in Israel.
She said he had slapped the little girl and caused distress by showing her videos on his telephone when the use of “such devices” was prohibited in their community.
The man said she had tried to “exclude” their daughter from his life.
Judge Howe concluded that the woman had “wrongfully removed” her daughter from Israel.
He said the little girl had to be returned immediately.
Detail of the case has emerged in a ruling published by the judge following a private hearing in the Family Division of the High Court earlier this month.
Judge Howe said no-one involved could be identified.
He said the girl’s parents were Israeli citizens who had taken part in a traditional arranged marriage when both 19.
The woman said the marriage had broken down because the man was “lazy”. The man said they had separated because they were not compatible.
Their divorce had been registered in the Rabbinical Court of Jerusalem more than three years ago.
A rabbi had written a “divorce agreement” which said the little girl would live with her mother and spend time with her father.
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