There was disappointment among Israel Police senior commanders when a Dutch court released Rabbi Eliezer Berland on bail not too long after being arrested in Amsterdam.
On Wednesday 7 Tishrei a hearing was held to address another Israel Police request, to keep the rabbi behind bars until the Israeli extradition request hearing is held in six weeks. Israel Police officials’ fear the rabbi will flee again if permitted to remain out on bail.
To the dismay of Israeli officials, the Netherlands court released the rabbi on bail for Yom Kippur. Another hearing to address Rabbi Berland’s status will be held in two weeks.
The rabbi has been a fugitive for two years, fleeing to a number of countries to avoid extradition to Israel including Morocco and Zimbabwe. Israel Police are pressuring Dutch authorities to keep the rabbi in prison until his extradition hearing but for the time being this is not happening.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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9 Responses
The Israel Police are proving more and more that there is some kind of hidden agenda behind their desperate attempts at getting the Rabbi behind bars. Apparently this is no different than their attempts at getting Rabbi Yoram Avergil behind bars, both of these Rabbi’s are leaders of the teshuva movement in Israel which infuriates in anti-religious left, they are thinking that portraying them as criminals will stop the teshuvah movement and prevent a religious majority in Israel, something which due to recent surveys is happening now, at this rate the next government will be a religious government. But the more they chase after Rabbi’s and Yeshivah bochurim the more they are proving their true colors and this only strengthens the teshuva movement even more. During the first court case the Dutch lawyer said there is absolutely no evidence that can even warrant bringing Rabbi Berland before an Israeli court, and he is shocked at the way the State of Israel treats a great man such as Rabbi Berland. This statement of the Judge has already been published in Israeli media, I’m surprised that YWN has not mentioned the proceedings of the first hearing, which was in the Lawyers words “an historical event which will be taught in Law Schools” the first time ever that a European country has an extradition treaty with Israel turned down a request of extradition and only after one court hearing. There was not only nothing to incriminate the Rabbi, there was not even anything to go discuss in court. In this recent appeal on Wednesday the Israeli police did not mention the accusations for they were already embarrassed in the first hearing when they were told they had nothing. In the appeal they tried to convince the group of 3 Judges that Rabbi Berland has been running and escaping justice for 2 years and that should be enough to keep him behind bars until Israel arranges a proper arrest warrant. But the judges didn’t buy that. Firstly, there was never, and still isn’t an arrest warrant for Rabbi Berland, one cannot be considered a fugitive if he is not wanted under warrant for arrest. Second of all he left Israel on is own free will much before he was even wanted by the Israeli Police for questioning. Thirdly, he was been in countries which do have extradition treaties with Israel, was allowed in and out of their borders without problem, which proves he was not trying to run away. And lastly, even if you would say he was running away, anyone in his situation the way he is unfairly being treated by the Israeli justice system will run away, because obviously if they are chasing him to this extent when out of Israel based on nothing, then surely he will not be given a fair trial in Israel either.
Israel is more concerned about chasing after Rabbi’s who will make people religious than chasing after the Arab terrorists who are vowing to destroy the entire country. Known terrorists are released from jail, given weapons, and allowed to continue shooting rockets without anyone interfering, Rabbi’s on the other hand are hunted down to all corners of the earth.
It seems as though the Dutch courts have a slightly different approach than the Israeli Police. Clearly they are not haredi haters and see something a little strange in the allegations that a well known highly respected 77 year old Rabbi suffering from diabetes and heart and lung complaints could have been as physically active as the Israeli police suggest.
Look at the way they turn a blind eye and cover up for Arab murderers http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/headlines-breaking-stories/262447/major-development-in-the-investigation-into-the-murder-of-netanel-arami-hyd.html
and compare this to the way the hunt down Chareidy Rabbi’s.
And what was his crime
Amsterdam (and the isle of Tessel where they are being put up) is being flooded by Breslavers who want to be in the Rav’s vicinity. They cause a lot of noise etc and it wouldn’t surprise me if the Dutch authorities will decide to lock him up or extradite him, just in order to get rid of the influx of Breslavers
I wish I could be with this Tzadik for Yom Kippur. He has suffered so much both Physically Emotionally Spiritually. Hashem should Bless Him with all that is GOOD and finally bring HIM home with HONOR and the Respect He Deserves. Hashem Save us from all those who try to harm us. Amen!!!
#1- I hope that harav Berland will end up being exonerated but in the meantime the facts before the police are: (1) several complaints filed by women from his own community (!) of severe misconduct by the rav, and (2) the fact that the rav fled the country after complaints were filed with the police and has not returned for years even though he has no home abroad. To say that under these circumstances the only reason for him to be wanted by the police is to harm the tshuva movement is beyond absurd. While he continues to flee the rav keeps the story alive. If he is innocent let him return to Israel and put the parsha to rest.
Yagel Libi – it seems you obviously are not familiar with how the Israeli (lack of) justice system works. They still keep convenient laws on the books from not only the British Mandate period but even Turkish rule such as the “administrative detention” rule that you can be put under imprisonment for SIX MONTHS before they are even obligated to bring charges! They pulled this one multiple times on Rav Kahane because as has been suggested here about Rav Berland they didn’t like the large influence he had on people.
Just look at Avigdor Leiberman – because he’s a big political enemy of the left they put him under investigation for 13 YEARS after which they finally admitted they didn’t have enough evidence to go forward. What kind of valid criminal investigation goes on for almost a decade and a half without being able to produce sufficient evidence for a trial? It took several months to identify and finally locate the killers of the 3 kodshim, yet after about a week they managed to arrest the guys who killed the arab teen – and strangely enough they were not allowed to speak to an attorney until AFTER they agreed to confess. Do you still think the police in this country are not agenda driven?
Yagel, it seems you have more information and a better sense of judgement than the 3 Dutch judges, maybe you should come to Holland and sit behind the panel. I truly wish you luck when standing before the Judge of all judges on Yom Kippur.
Yaakov you can definitely go and spend Yom Kippur together with hundreds of yidden who feel like you and are already there, being hosted warmly by the locals, with thier own shul in which the Rav will be shliach tzibur.