Rita Panahi: Israel must end this Leifer extradition circus
Accused paedophile Malka Leifer has gamed the system for too long but Israel is finally realising that Australia won’t give up its fight to bring her to trial, writes Rita Panahi.
Rita Panahi
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Paedophile principal Malka Leifer’s days of evading justice may be coming to an end.
For more than a decade she has escaped judgment by firstly fleeing to Israel when allegations of child sex offences were first raised in 2008 and then feigning illness and mental incapacity to avoid extradition after being formally charged in 2013. She has gamed the system and made a fool of a number of supposed professionals in the judiciary and medical fields in Israel.
Her fake illnesses have ranged from debilitating panic attacks to infirmity so severe that a judge deemed her too ill to leave her bed.
However, that lie was laid to rest in early 2018 when video footage of Leifer enjoying a “normal, healthy” existence was handed to police by Israeli private investigator Tsafrir Tsahi.
Far from being bedridden, Leifer was seen shopping and taking one-hour bus trips to visit family.
Since then the 52-year-old mother of eight has been behind bars but has continued to exploit every legal avenue to avoid extradition to face 74 counts of sexually assaulting female students when she was principal of the ultra-Orthodox Adass Israel school in Elsternwick. Her alleged victims have endured dozens of hearings, compromised psychiatric reports, political interference and a hopelessly inept judiciary.
Earlier this month Jerusalem District Court Judge Rom Vinograd granted Leifer bail allowing her to be released from prison and placed under house arrest. Dassi Erlich and her sisters Nicole Meyer and Elly Sapper are among Leifer’s alleged victims — they accused the former headmistress of molesting them between 2001 and 2008 — and were left dismayed by the decision.
“We are just reeling. I don’t have any words. I think this is a huge, massive betrayal of trust in this whole process of supposed justice,” Ms Erlich said.
“Given that we are all aware that Leifer is a flight risk as well as the potential of her reoffending, this blatant disregard for the wellbeing of the Israeli community is outstanding.”
Labor and the Coalition also strongly condemned the decision.
Premier Dan Andrews wrote a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying the “latest decision defies explanation”.
“I am hopeful that in writing to you, the Israeli justice system can move quickly to right this wrong. Victims and their families deserve nothing less,” Andrews wrote.
Federal Attorney-General Christian Porter was also scathing of the Israeli courts.
“Given our request was made in 2013, the length of time that Israel is taking to finalise Australia’s extradition request is regrettable,” Porter said.
“Ms Leifer is facing very serious criminal charges — it would be better for all involved that these charges are resolved.”
Israeli Ambassador to Australia Mark Sofer also lent his powerful voice in demanding Leifer face justice.
“While Israeli law courts are independent, there are very many in Israel, including the State Prosecution, who find the recent legal decisions regarding Malka Leifer incomprehensible and are working avidly to overturn them,” he tweeted.
“In their eyes, the case has gone on for far too long and nothing short of full justice can be acceptable. Uppermost in their minds is the immediate extradition of Malka Leifer to Australia to stand trial.”
Thankfully the international outcry, or perhaps just common decency, has seen the decision halted with Jerusalem Supreme Court Justice Anat Baron delaying the release as she considers appeals from both the prosecution and the defence.
Among those who have steadfastly supported the accusers throughout this terrible ordeal has been former premier Ted Baillieu who has labelled the process a “sham” that has further traumatised the victims.
“They have been tortured physically and personally through the crimes and now they’re being tortured over more than 10 years by a justice system that’s completely and utterly failed,” he said.
Speaking to the Herald Sun, Baillieu said he was pleased psychiatrist Jacob Charnes, who stands accused of changing his diagnosis due to political pressure, notably from Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman, will no longer play a role in selecting the panel that is likely to determine whether Leifer is to be extradited or not.
“This process has been a farce, the judge has been on a frolic and the psychiatrist and the minister have been compromised,” Baillieu said.
“Israelis are beginning to recognise this is a significant issue in Australia.
“For the first time a senior representative from the department of international affairs turned up to the court, that was significant.”
However, despite a couple of small victories, the alleged victims are still a long way from having their day in court.
“We are only back at the start line, after 60 hearings, we are back where we started,” Baillieu said. “I’m looking forward to the Prime Minister at some stage soon meeting with the girls.”
It’s time Scott Morrison spoke out publicly in support of the alleged victims and exerted pressure on his Israeli counterpart to ensure justice is done. An Australian court can determine whether is Leifer is too ill or incapacitated to face a trial.
If she can swan around Israel enjoying shopping trips and visits to family then she can survive a plane trip back to Melbourne.
Rita Panahi is a Herald Sun columnist.