My wife refuses to return with our children to Israel after a holiday in the U.K. I told her that what she is doing is wrong and that I had been advised to use the Hague Convention if she still refused to return the children. She tried to discourage me, saying it would get her into trouble with the police. Is that so?

Not directly. The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction does not deal with criminal issues. Separate legislation deals with this. If you bring Hague proceedings and you reach a voluntary return agreement with your wife, you can undertake not to take any personal steps to initiate or further criminal proceedings, in so far as this is within your control.