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International Child Abduction & Relocation

Home / Q: My ex-husband abducted our children from Germany to Israel. After negotiating through our lawyers, he agreed to return them to Germany. Does an agreement regarding "voluntary return" establish any fact regarding whether an act of kidnapping took place?

Q: My ex-husband abducted our children from Germany to Israel. After negotiating through our lawyers, he agreed to return them to Germany. Does an agreement regarding “voluntary return” establish any fact regarding whether an act of kidnapping took place?

By: דיאנה שאלתיאלPublished on: 21 December, 2025

A: No, there is no stipulation on this matter. The agreement may refer to the removal or non-return of the children, but the agreement will not state whether the act was “unlawful” (which in legal terms means that an abduction occurred). This is the basic principle regarding voluntary return.


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