Fugitive Israeli rabbi arrested in South Africa
Eliezer Berland will likely be extradited to the Jewish state, where he is wanted for sex offenses
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A fugitive rabbi wanted in Israel for sex offenses was arrested in South Africa on Thursday, some four years after he fled Israel.
Rabbi Eliezer Berland, 80, was taken to a local police station in Johannesburg on Thursday, after which he felt ill and was transported to hospital, Channel 2 reported.
The rabbi is expected to be extradited to Israel, under an extradition agreement between the two countries.
Berland, of the Breslov Hassidic dynasty, and founder of the Shuvu Bonim religious seminary, fled Israel to Morocco in 2012 amid allegations that he molested two female followers, one of them a minor.
Since then he has been spotted in Zimbabwe, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and South Africa, accompanied by a group of devout followers numbering around 40 families.
Israel had requested Berland’s extradition from several countries but was unsuccessful.
When last arrested in the Netherlands, Berland denied the allegations against him and fought his extradition on the grounds that the alleged assaults took place in the West Bank, and Israel does not have jurisdiction there. He escaped to South Africa after he was freed on bail.
Earlier this year, South African police, acting at the request of Interpol, raided Berland’s hideout in a hotel room in Samrand, north of Johannesburg, where he had been staying for several months.
Berland escaped and avoided arrest.
It was the third time South African police had attempted to arrest Berland. He once escaped after a high-speed car chase.
Following the raid, Berland’s followers threatened South Africa’s Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein with death under Talmudic law.
Berland’s followers accused Goldstein of alerting police to his location, and claimed that he should be put to death.
According to the Talmudic din rodef, or the “law of the pursuer,” extra-judicial killing is permitted against “one who pursues his fellow to kill him.” In this case, the accusations that Goldstein informed police were interpreted by Berland’s followers to mean that he was seeking their mentor’s death.
Lee Gancman contributed to this report
The Times of Israel Community.