Israeli President Reuven Rivlin pledge to intervene on Malka Leifer extradition: MP
Reuven Rivlin says he will move in the next week to expedite a years-long extradition process of accused sex abuser Malka Leifer.
The President of Israel, Reuven Rivlin, has told Australian MPs he will personally intervene in the extradition process of former Melbourne principal Malka Leifer, charged with child sexual abuse, if her years-long legal process drags beyond this week.
As he met with Scott Morrison and a handful of other politicians including Anthony Albanese in Canberra on Wednesday, Mr Rivlin faced questions on Leifer’s extradition which was raised by both the Prime Minister and other MPs from both sides of politics.
A former principal of Melbourne’s ultra-orthodox Adass Israel girls’ school, Leifer, 52, fled to Israel in 2008 as accusations against her surfaced.
She has since been charged with 74 counts of child sexual abuse, with Australia lodging a formal extradition request in 2014.
More than 60 hearings have since taken place, with her extradition stalling over claims she is mentally unfit to stand trial and serious allegations of corruption levelled against
Israel’s Deputy Health Minister for attempting to influence psychiatrists testifying in her extradition.
The commitment from Mr Rivlin comes after local MPs hit out at an “astounding” decision from an Israeli judge last week which threatened to further delay the extradition process.
According to Labor MP Josh Burns — whose electorate of Macnamara takes in the school where the alleged abuse occurred — Mr Rivlin told him he would meet with Israel’s Chief Justice as early as next week to expedite proceedings should a scheduled hearing in Jerusalem this week not progress the matter.
“I raised the issue of the extradition of Malka Leifer with President Rivlin on behalf of my constituents, particularly Dassi Erlich, Nicole Meyer and Elly Sapper,” Mr Burns said,
referring to alleged victims of Leifer’s.
“I was pleased that President Rivlin advised me that, if hearings scheduled this week do not see this matter progress towards Malka Leifer being extradited to Australia, he will personally
meet with the Chief Justice of Israel to discuss how this matter can be expedited.”
“This matter has dragged on far too long. These victims deserve justice and I will continue to fight until Malka Leifer is back in Australia facing trial.”
Later, Mr Burns said of his meeting: “We reiterated that we are good friends but at the moment our friends in Israel are letting us down. She should be on a plane to Australia.”
The Australian has also obtained a briefing letter Mr Rivlin is handing out to politicians he meets in Australia, that acknowledges the extradition proceedings “have been undermined
by Leifer’s fraudulent claims of severe mental illness”.
It is understood the Prime Minister discussed Australia’s “strong commitment to seeing justice in the case of Malka Leifer.”
Mr Rivlin drew frustration from Leifer’s alleged victims when he refused to schedule a meeting with them during his visit to Australia this week.
Dassi Erlich, one of Leifer’s alleged victims, told The Australian reports of Mr Rivlin’s promise didn’t giver her much confidence.
“I really hope he does do something, but does this give me confidence? Not after his refusal to meet with us, and comments he’s made that the case was going at pace, and that Israeli politicians respect not interfering with courts,” Ms Erlich said, pointing out allegations of the interference from former Israeli Deputy Health Minister.
“I’m really happy that the MPs have raised this with him.
“It would have been great to see Scott Morrison raise it with the President before he came here, and to say that it was very important to Australia’s relationship with Israel. But did I expect that? Not really.”
Liberal MP Julian Leeser also criticised the delayed extradition.
“It’s outrageous that a country that’s got a well developed legal system like Israel, that has been a refuge for people that have faced persecution, is effectively preventing Australians who have had this terrible experience of child sexual abuse from confronting their accuser and having their day in court.”
Last week, an Israeli judge drew frustration from Mr Burns and Ms Erlich after she granted a request submitted by Leifer’s defence allowing psychiatrists who had previously testified she was not mentally fit to stand trial to submit addition opinions, despite the court since finding her claims fraudulent.
The 64th hearing in the saga is scheduled to take place on Wednesday morning in Jerusalem.
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