Rabbi Eliezer Berland, the fugitive spiritual leader of the Shuvu Banim Yeshiva in Jerusalem, associated with the Breslov hassidic community, landed in Israel this morning (Tuesday), where he was promptly arrested by police at Ben Gurion Airport.
This ends a three-year saga which started when Rabbi Berland fled the country after being accused of sexual assault.
Hundreds of supporters still loyal to the Rabbi waited to greet him at Ben-Gurion airport.
The Rabbi is now reportedly ready to cooperate with legal authorities.
His Attorney Rachel Toran claimed last night that Rabbi Berland had left the country 3 years ago for reasons unrelated to the accusations levied against him, and is now returning of his own free will.
"We're talking about an old, sickly, 80-year-old man, Dean of a yeshiva, a great Torah scholar, a man of compassion and kind deeds. He trusts the authorities to deal with this issue in a quick and efficient manner," Attorney Toran said.
According to the lawyer, the Rabbi is suspected of crimes of low severity, this in opposition to widespread reports claiming that the nature of the suspicions is severe. "We have no doubt that the investigation will clear the Rabbi of all allegations," Toran concluded.