Israeli police arrest ex-principal, alleged child abuser Malka Leifer
The Age
Ebony Bowden & Benjamin Preiss
13 February 2018
Alleged paedophile Malka Leifer, a former school principal facing 74 charges of child sex abuse, has been arrested by Israeli police after a decade of fighting extradition.
Israeli authorities have accused Ms Leifer of faking a mental illness in order to avoid returning to Australia.
Ms Leifer fled to Israel in 2008 when allegations she had sexually abused girls at the ultra-orthodox Adass Israel School in Elsternwick, where she was principal, were first raised. She is wanted by Victoria Police on 74 counts of sexual assault and rape involving girls.
She was arrested by Israel police in 2014 when Australia applied for her extradition, but proceedings were dropped when a psychiatrist found Ms Leifer was unfit to stand trial.
Ms Leifer was released from her house arrest and ordered to undergo psychiatric treatment in Jerusalem.
Israel police re-arrested Ms Leifer, 50, on Monday in the northern West Bank on suspicion of obstructing court proceedings and attempting to hide evidence in a case.
"A police undercover investigation has been underway for a month, following an Interpol request to investigate the suspect," a statement translated by the ABC reads.
"During 2017 there were indications that the suspect was pretending to be suffering from mental illness in order to avoid the extradition process."
"The female suspect will be brought to the Petah Tikva Magistrates Court to extend her detention."
An alleged victim of Ms Leifer's successfully sued the former principal in the Supreme Court of Victoria in 2015 and was awarded $1.27 million in compensation.
"We see this as a very important breakthrough in our long journey to achieve justice," she said.
She said she was heartened by the empathy conveyed by people "across the full spectrum of society".
"It has been a very long 10 years since Malka Leifer fled Australia. We are hopeful that this is a turning point in the extradition process."
Jewish child sexual abuse advocacy organisation Kol v'Oz said it was pleased the judicial process could recommence.
"I’m delighted to hear of Malka Leifer’s arrest and hope that it is the re-commencement of a process that leads to her extradition to Australia to face her accusers," Kol v'Oz chief executive Manny Waks wrote in a statement.
"Her arrest is a credit to the many people who have worked tirelessly to ensure that she will be held to account and can no longer be a potential threat to children in Israel.
"I’m especially happy for her courageous alleged victims."
Premier Daniel Andrews told the ABC on Tuesday that he had discussed the matter with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when they met in December.
"He gave me an assurance he would look at the matter himself," Mr Andrews he said.
The premier said he understood the case was a "great concern" to parents and many people in the Jewish community.
He described Ms Leifer's arrest as a "significant breakthrough".
"People have a right to expect that she will come home and she will face justice."
Originally published at The Age.
Israeli authorities have accused Ms Leifer of faking a mental illness in order to avoid returning to Australia.
Ms Leifer fled to Israel in 2008 when allegations she had sexually abused girls at the ultra-orthodox Adass Israel School in Elsternwick, where she was principal, were first raised. She is wanted by Victoria Police on 74 counts of sexual assault and rape involving girls.
She was arrested by Israel police in 2014 when Australia applied for her extradition, but proceedings were dropped when a psychiatrist found Ms Leifer was unfit to stand trial.
Ms Leifer was released from her house arrest and ordered to undergo psychiatric treatment in Jerusalem.
Israel police re-arrested Ms Leifer, 50, on Monday in the northern West Bank on suspicion of obstructing court proceedings and attempting to hide evidence in a case.
"A police undercover investigation has been underway for a month, following an Interpol request to investigate the suspect," a statement translated by the ABC reads.
"During 2017 there were indications that the suspect was pretending to be suffering from mental illness in order to avoid the extradition process."
"The female suspect will be brought to the Petah Tikva Magistrates Court to extend her detention."
An alleged victim of Ms Leifer's successfully sued the former principal in the Supreme Court of Victoria in 2015 and was awarded $1.27 million in compensation.
"We see this as a very important breakthrough in our long journey to achieve justice," she said.
She said she was heartened by the empathy conveyed by people "across the full spectrum of society".
"It has been a very long 10 years since Malka Leifer fled Australia. We are hopeful that this is a turning point in the extradition process."
Jewish child sexual abuse advocacy organisation Kol v'Oz said it was pleased the judicial process could recommence.
"I’m delighted to hear of Malka Leifer’s arrest and hope that it is the re-commencement of a process that leads to her extradition to Australia to face her accusers," Kol v'Oz chief executive Manny Waks wrote in a statement.
"Her arrest is a credit to the many people who have worked tirelessly to ensure that she will be held to account and can no longer be a potential threat to children in Israel.
"I’m especially happy for her courageous alleged victims."
Premier Daniel Andrews told the ABC on Tuesday that he had discussed the matter with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when they met in December.
"He gave me an assurance he would look at the matter himself," Mr Andrews he said.
The premier said he understood the case was a "great concern" to parents and many people in the Jewish community.
He described Ms Leifer's arrest as a "significant breakthrough".
"People have a right to expect that she will come home and she will face justice."
Originally published at The Age.