By Steve Lillebuen
Pressure has been ramped up against Israel to deal with the long-stalled extradition of former Melbourne principal Malka Leifer, who fled Australia nearly a decade ago after being accused of sexually abusing her students.
Fairfax Media has been told that Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will directly raise the issue with Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu during high-level talks in Jerusalem next week.
Malka Leifer.
The Prime Minister's bid comes as members of Australia's Jewish community continue efforts to secure Ms Leifer's extradition, after she successfully claimed in an Israeli court to be too mentally unwell to return to Australia.
A bipartisan delegation, including Labor MPs Michael Danby and Mark Dreyfus, is also seeking to raise the issue with Israel's justice minister, Ayelet Shaked, on October 30.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will meet with Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu next week.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
Mr Danby said it was an "outrageous" case that had been left unresolved for too long.
"The absconded principal should be returned to Australia, a country friendly to Israel, to face charges against her," he told parliament last week.
"Only via a proper trial, with Ms Leifer facing a Victorian court, can these issues be properly addressed."
Ms Leifer, the former principal of the Adass Israel School in Elsternwick, is wanted on 74 counts of sexual abuse and rape involving girls while she was head of the ultra-conservative Jewish school.
Adass Israel School in Elsternwick, where Malka Leifer was principal from 2003 to 2008.Credit: Pat Scala
She fled to Israel in 2008 after the allegations were first raised and has managed to evade multiple extradition proceedings since 2014.
Her lawyers have successfully argued in Israel that she was too unwell to face court.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.Credit: AP
Last year, a judge ordered her free from home detention while she underwent psychiatric treatment.
Victims and community advocates fear that process could go on for years, allowing Ms Leifer to avoid prosecution in Australia.
Mr Danby said it was time for Israel to consider having an independent psychiatric panel evaluate Ms Leifer's mental fitness to face an extradition hearing.
With files from AAP, wires