The grandfather of a six-year-old Israeli boy who was the only survivor of an Italian cable car disaster stated he did not kidnap his grandson but was rather looking out for his wellbeing by bringing him to Israel against the will of the other side of the boy's family in Italy.
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Eitan Biran's parents, younger brother and 11 other people all died when a gondola plunged to the ground in northern Italy in May.
After the accident, Eitan moved in with his paternal aunt, Aya Biran, in northern Italy. A week ago his maternal grandfather, Shmuel Peleg, picked him up for a planned family trip but they never returned.
Peleg had driven with his grandson across the nearby border to Switzerland, where they boarded a private jet to Tel Aviv.
"I decided that I am saving the boy and bringing him to Israel," Peleg told Channel 12 News. "I took a car, I drove with Eitan. The passports were checked and approved at the embassy in Switzerland. And we took off to Israel in a completely legal manner."
Asked why he didn't wait for an Italian court to make a decision, Peleg said "I must say that I lost faith in the Italian judicial system."
