'Excited, relieved': Leifer victim welcomes possible charges against Israeli minister
The Sydney Morning Herald
Tom Cowie and Nicole Precel
7 August 2019
An alleged abuse victim of Melbourne school principal Malka Leifer has welcomed a police recommendation that an Israeli minister be charged after claims that he tried to stop her extradition.
Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman is accused of pressuring psychiatrists to alter the conclusions of their reports about Ms Leifer so a court would find her mentally unfit to stand trial, The Times of Israel reported.
Ms Leifer, who was the head of Melbourne's ultra-orthodox Adass Israel school, faces 74 charges of sexual assault of female students.
She fled to Israel in 2008 after the sex offence allegations emerged. An Israeli court ruled in 2016 that Ms Leifer, who has denied the charges, was mentally unfit to face extradition and trial.
She was re-arrested in 2018 after a police investigation cast doubts on her health claims, and is in prison awaiting an extradition ruling.
One of Ms Leifer's alleged victims during her time as principal at Adass, Dassi Erlich, said she was grateful that questions continually raised through the #BringLeiferBack campaign "resulted in one more step to achieving justice".
"The investigation that followed into Health Minister Litzman, brought to light the systemic cover up and support of abusers in the highest levels of government, particularly in the Malka Leifer case," Ms Erlich said.
"The recommendation for Litzman to be charged has us feeling excited, relieved and encouraged going forward."
Prominent sexual abuse survivor and advocate Manny Waks said the announcement was a welcome development in a prolonged and sordid case.
"For her alleged victims it would hopefully give them some courage not to give up, they've hit so many walls over the years," he said.
"It also sends a message to other victims more broadly, that no matter who is involved or what the allegations are, police will examine it."
The Israeli police said in a statement on Tuesday they had enough evidence for an indictment of Mr Litzman for tampering with witnesses.
"With the end of this investigation the Israeli police's position is that there is enough alleged evidence against Deputy Minister of Health Yaakov Litzman of offences of fraud, breach of trust, and impeachment in testimony in the [Malka Leifer] extradition case," it said.
The investigation allegedly found that psychiatrists feared they would be fired if they did not follow the orders of Mr Litzman, who is also chairman of the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party.
"I'm just a bureaucrat. A senior minister is sitting in front of me [making requests]. I know my place and I know his place and what is expected of me," one of the psychiatrists allegedly told police.
The Times of Israel said it would now be up to Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit to determine whether to indict Mr Litzman.
Mr Litzman is also accused of bribery and fraud on separate matters. He was not arrested.
Mr Litzman has denied any wrongdoing.
In a statement Mr Litzman's office said he had worked "in favour of the citizens of Israel in total transparency and according to the law".
"We are sure without a doubt that after a close examination it will be revealed that his actions were flawless."
Ms Leifer's case, which has gone through more than 50 hearings, is still being considered by a Jerusalem court.
Originally published at The Sydney Morning Herald.
Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman is accused of pressuring psychiatrists to alter the conclusions of their reports about Ms Leifer so a court would find her mentally unfit to stand trial, The Times of Israel reported.
Ms Leifer, who was the head of Melbourne's ultra-orthodox Adass Israel school, faces 74 charges of sexual assault of female students.
She fled to Israel in 2008 after the sex offence allegations emerged. An Israeli court ruled in 2016 that Ms Leifer, who has denied the charges, was mentally unfit to face extradition and trial.
She was re-arrested in 2018 after a police investigation cast doubts on her health claims, and is in prison awaiting an extradition ruling.
One of Ms Leifer's alleged victims during her time as principal at Adass, Dassi Erlich, said she was grateful that questions continually raised through the #BringLeiferBack campaign "resulted in one more step to achieving justice".
"The investigation that followed into Health Minister Litzman, brought to light the systemic cover up and support of abusers in the highest levels of government, particularly in the Malka Leifer case," Ms Erlich said.
"The recommendation for Litzman to be charged has us feeling excited, relieved and encouraged going forward."
Prominent sexual abuse survivor and advocate Manny Waks said the announcement was a welcome development in a prolonged and sordid case.
"For her alleged victims it would hopefully give them some courage not to give up, they've hit so many walls over the years," he said.
"It also sends a message to other victims more broadly, that no matter who is involved or what the allegations are, police will examine it."
The Israeli police said in a statement on Tuesday they had enough evidence for an indictment of Mr Litzman for tampering with witnesses.
"With the end of this investigation the Israeli police's position is that there is enough alleged evidence against Deputy Minister of Health Yaakov Litzman of offences of fraud, breach of trust, and impeachment in testimony in the [Malka Leifer] extradition case," it said.
The investigation allegedly found that psychiatrists feared they would be fired if they did not follow the orders of Mr Litzman, who is also chairman of the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party.
"I'm just a bureaucrat. A senior minister is sitting in front of me [making requests]. I know my place and I know his place and what is expected of me," one of the psychiatrists allegedly told police.
The Times of Israel said it would now be up to Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit to determine whether to indict Mr Litzman.
Mr Litzman is also accused of bribery and fraud on separate matters. He was not arrested.
Mr Litzman has denied any wrongdoing.
In a statement Mr Litzman's office said he had worked "in favour of the citizens of Israel in total transparency and according to the law".
"We are sure without a doubt that after a close examination it will be revealed that his actions were flawless."
Ms Leifer's case, which has gone through more than 50 hearings, is still being considered by a Jerusalem court.
Originally published at The Sydney Morning Herald.