Israeli minister suspected of obstruction in Malka Leifer case
Guardian Australia
Australian Associated Press
15 February 2019
Ya’acov Litzman questioned over extradition of former Melbourne principal facing child sex abuse charges
Israel’s deputy health minister has been placed under investigation on suspicion of obstructing the extradition of Malka Leifer to Australia to face child sex abuse charges.
Police confirmed that Ya’acov Litzman was questioned on 14 February over suspected ethics violations without elaborating on the nature of the charges.
However, Israeli media reported that he had attempted to falsify psychiatric evaluations that would deem Leifer unfit to face trial in Australia.
The interrogation follows an investigation started several months ago by the Israeli police fraud investigation unit.
An extradition case is ongoing in Israel as expert psychiatrists present to the Jerusalem district court their various examinations of Leifer’s mental stability.
Past students of Adass Israel school in Melbourne, who accuse Leifer of abusing them, are fighting to have her returned to Australia on 74 charges of child sex abuse, including rape.
Dassi Erlich, one of the women Leifer allegedly abused at the ultra-orthodox school, along with Jewish NGOs Kol V’Oz and Jewish Community Watch, believe Litzman has long been trying to interfere with the case.
Erlich told AAP she remembered meeting Litzman last year in the Israeli parliament.
Advertisement“He did not seem to want to talk to us until [he was] repeatedly asked to have a word,” Erlich said. “He looked us in the eye and said - ‘I do not support extradition, and I will not, BUT I will not intervene.’”
Manny Waks, cheif executive of Kol V’Oz, said his organisation had expected interference in the Leifer case.
“These serious allegations against Israel’s deputy health minister, Rabbi Ya’acov Litzman, confirms the ongoing suspicion many have regarding this case,” Waks stated.
Israeli ministers and Jerusalem’s deputy mayor have called for Litzman to step down from office if Leifer escapes extradition and the allegations that he helped to obtain false psychiatric papers are found to be true.
Erlich said the news of Litzman’s possible involvement in the case was a “huge shock”.
“As the health minister he has a responsibility to be unbiased and fair in all his medical decisions,” she said. “We feel he should indeed step down and be fully investigated.”
Israel’s state prosecution service said Leifer was feigning mental illness to dodge extradition.
The deputy health minister’s office released a statement denying any wrongdoing, continuing to say Litzman was cooperating fully with police.
“Litzman is confident of his innocence, and will continue to give assistance to every request which reaches his office, in accordance with the laws and relevant regulations,” the statement read.
Leifer flew to Israel 2008 but was arrested there in February 2018 over allegations of child sexual abuse linked to her time as head of the school in the 2000s.
Originally published at Guardian Australia.
Israel’s deputy health minister has been placed under investigation on suspicion of obstructing the extradition of Malka Leifer to Australia to face child sex abuse charges.
Police confirmed that Ya’acov Litzman was questioned on 14 February over suspected ethics violations without elaborating on the nature of the charges.
However, Israeli media reported that he had attempted to falsify psychiatric evaluations that would deem Leifer unfit to face trial in Australia.
The interrogation follows an investigation started several months ago by the Israeli police fraud investigation unit.
An extradition case is ongoing in Israel as expert psychiatrists present to the Jerusalem district court their various examinations of Leifer’s mental stability.
Past students of Adass Israel school in Melbourne, who accuse Leifer of abusing them, are fighting to have her returned to Australia on 74 charges of child sex abuse, including rape.
Dassi Erlich, one of the women Leifer allegedly abused at the ultra-orthodox school, along with Jewish NGOs Kol V’Oz and Jewish Community Watch, believe Litzman has long been trying to interfere with the case.
Erlich told AAP she remembered meeting Litzman last year in the Israeli parliament.
Advertisement“He did not seem to want to talk to us until [he was] repeatedly asked to have a word,” Erlich said. “He looked us in the eye and said - ‘I do not support extradition, and I will not, BUT I will not intervene.’”
Manny Waks, cheif executive of Kol V’Oz, said his organisation had expected interference in the Leifer case.
“These serious allegations against Israel’s deputy health minister, Rabbi Ya’acov Litzman, confirms the ongoing suspicion many have regarding this case,” Waks stated.
Israeli ministers and Jerusalem’s deputy mayor have called for Litzman to step down from office if Leifer escapes extradition and the allegations that he helped to obtain false psychiatric papers are found to be true.
Erlich said the news of Litzman’s possible involvement in the case was a “huge shock”.
“As the health minister he has a responsibility to be unbiased and fair in all his medical decisions,” she said. “We feel he should indeed step down and be fully investigated.”
Israel’s state prosecution service said Leifer was feigning mental illness to dodge extradition.
The deputy health minister’s office released a statement denying any wrongdoing, continuing to say Litzman was cooperating fully with police.
“Litzman is confident of his innocence, and will continue to give assistance to every request which reaches his office, in accordance with the laws and relevant regulations,” the statement read.
Leifer flew to Israel 2008 but was arrested there in February 2018 over allegations of child sexual abuse linked to her time as head of the school in the 2000s.
Originally published at Guardian Australia.