Israel Child Abduction & Relocation

This web site deals exclusively with child abduction and relocation to and from Israel. It is an off-shoot of our legal practice's main web site, 'Family Law in Israel' . It has been written and launched in response to the growing number of enquiries received from parents in various countries . Where at least one parent has either Israeli citizenship or residency, and there is no mutual consent between the mother and father about moving to or from Israel with their children, then legal problems can arise. Issues of child abduction or relocation may be involved. This website, coupled with the section on child abduction in our original one, and on our 'Family Law in Israel Forum'  should assist parents in search of information on the subject.

Founded in 1989, our multilingual practice works exclusively in family law and specializes in cases with an international dimension. Our lawyers speak Hebrew, English, and French at mother tongue level. We believe that good communication between lawyer and client is essential to effective representation in international family law disputes. A significant proportion of our clients are non-Israeli and live overseas. 

We hope you find our web site helpful and user-friendly. As a free service, anonymous questions can be sent to the Question Forum. They will be answered selectively, at the editor’s discretion. Answers to questions chosen will appear on the web site. 

Please note, however, that answers provided are not a substitute for individual legal counselling, which is available for payment. 

We welcome feedback via the Contact Us link, through which legal counselling can also be arranged. 

Amihoud Borochov Law Office.

Latest Questions

I am an English dad. My wife and I have been having marital problems. She is Israeli and went to visit her family with the kids for a short holiday. Now, she refuses to come back. What can I do?
Bring Hague Convention proceedings for your children's return. They are being wrongfully retained in Israel by your wife – this is a form of child abduction. A court in Israel can order their return
Moving Abroad
I am a divorced Israeli mother living in England, with custody of the children. I want to move back home to Israel with them. Can I still do so if my 'ex' doesn't agree?
Yes, but only if you get permission from a UK court, after filing for relocation. If you just move with them without a relocation order, you will be abducting them, and could face Hague Convention proceedings for their return.
Moving Abroad
I am a divorcee from Israel. In our divorce agreement, I agreed to my 'ex' moving back to Canada, her native country, with the kids. She undertook to bring them to Israel once a year for visitation, and to give me regular phone contact. She is flouting her commitments. What can I do?
File for the enforcement of your visitation rights in Canada. Where, as in your case, there is no child abduction, the Hague Convention is not very helpful in guaranteeing exercise of access rights, even though both Israel and Canada are bound by it.
Moving Abroad
I do not have custody of my children, but do have visitation rights. Am I still entitled to use the Hague Convention to get my children back if my 'ex' has taken them abroad without my permission, and aims to settle there?
Yes, in principle, providing both the countries involved are bound by the Convention and you were exercising some kind of parental authority (in Hague language misleadingly called 'rights of custody') according to the laws of your home country when the children were removed.
Moving Abroad
Ex Blocks Move Abroad – Relocation Plea - Can I still raise my children abroad legally if my 'ex' objects?
Yes, by filing and winning a legal action for their relocation abroad.
Moving Abroad