At this time (Monday) the hearing regarding the extradition of the models' agent Shai Avital to Israel is taking place in the court in Amsterdam:
the lawyers of Avital, who was arrested last Thursday in the Netherlands, will today (Monday) ask the arresting judge to release him on bail during the hearing on his extradition to Israel.
On the other hand, representatives of the Israel Police are expected to ask to extend his detention by 21 days.
The police representatives will claim that there is evidence against Avital, who is suspected of committing sexual offenses against 26 complainants, and therefore he must be in Israel for the purposes of investigation and prosecution.
They will also present evidence that Avital is nothing more than a "fugitive criminal", who moved from country to country even though he knew he was wanted in Israel.
"We will not compromise on release to house arrest," police officials told Israel Hayom yesterday, "we will demand his extradition for further investigation at the Tel Aviv District Court and confrontations with the complainants." However, they added, "If he offers extradition, we will open negotiations on the conditions".
It is estimated that Avital will agree to the extradition, but will demand that he land in Israel straight to house arrest - without a detention hearing in court, in order to avoid a "media carnival".
In the last two days, an apartment has been prepared for him where he will stay, if it is decided to release him from detention, but he will not be allowed to leave the Netherlands and will have to stay under a kind of house arrest until the extradition procedure is completed, which should last 40 days.
The moments of Shay Avital's arrest in the Netherlands, photo: Police spokespersons
The head of the intelligence division with new details from the operation to capture Shai Avital // Photo: Police spokespersons
His lawyers, Sharon Nahari and Shashi Gaz, told "Israel Hayom" that Avital left the country legally and even purchased plane tickets to Israel, but according to him he decided to cancel them because the conditions for his return were not ripe.
"Just as a Dutchman would not have been arrested in Israel for such acts and they would not have asked for his extradition," said Attorney Gaz, "this is how we should behave with Avital.
I don't remember a case where they ask to extradite an Israeli for crimes attributed to him."
To attorney Nahari, who met with him at the weekend in the Dutch detention cell, Avital said that "I had an 'Alihum' on me and I did not intend to run away."
I have Portuguese citizenship, and if I wanted to escape I would hide in Portugal." According to his associates, "his situation is poor" and he is disappointed by the police's conduct against him.
At the same time, the police hope that during the arrest, more complainants will join.
26 complaints were filed against Avital, but only two of them matured into prima facie evidence.
According to a police source, "there is solid evidence in two cases, and that is enough for a well-founded and evidentially strong indictment."
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