Alleged victim blasts WA Deputy Premier for meeting Israeli politician linked to Melbourne child sex accused
WA Today
Nathan Hondros
28 May 2019
Alleged victims of accused child sex abuser Malka Leifer have described a meeting between WA Deputy Premier Roger Cook and an Israeli politician under investigation for allegedly hindering her extradition to Australia as deeply hurtful and a "slap in the face".
Mr Cook met Israeli Deputy Health Minister Rabbi Yaakov Litzman while leading a delegation from WA in discussions on digital medicine, medical cannabis and vaccination policy, according to an Israeli government media statement.
Mr Cook met Israeli Deputy Health Minister Rabbi Yaakov Litzman while leading a delegation from WA in discussions on digital medicine, medical cannabis and vaccination policy, according to an Israeli government media statement.
Rabbi Litzman has been accused of pressuring health officials and psychiatrists into declaring Ms Leifer unfit for extradition from Israel, allegations which are under investigation by the Jerusalem District Attorney’s Office.
He told Israeli media in February his intervention in the case was "all for the good of the public, everything was legal".
Ms Leifer is the former principal of an ultra-Orthodox Jewish school in Melbourne charged with 74 counts of child sexual abuse allegedly committed against three sisters between 2001-2008.
An alleged victim of Ms Leifer, Dassi Erlich, said she was "more than infuriated" when she read Israeli news reports of Mr Cook's meeting with Rabbi Litzman.
"I woke up to news of that meeting early this morning [Monday], and it kind of felt a bit like a slap in the face," Ms Erlich said.
"We have Australia consistently telling us, 'what can we do to help, we want justice in this case,' and then we see all these reports coming from Israel saying that Litzman is alleged to have helped not just Malka Leifer, but a lot of other paedophiles escape justice.
"And here is an Australian delegation legitimising who he is and his position, given what they know about him.
"It absolutely hurt a lot."
Ms Erlich, who first reported allegations against against Ms Leifer to police in 2011, said the allegations against Rabbi Litzman were all over the news in Israel and she couldn't understand how an Australian politician could not have known about them.
Manny Waks, the executive director of child sex abuse prevention non-profit Kol v'Oz, said he was astonished at the meeting.
"This is an affront to Leifer’s alleged victims, their supporters, and to those of us working tirelessly to ensure justice is achieved," he told Israeli reporters.
"At the very least, no Australian official should be legitimising Litzman by engaging with him while he is still under investigation – his alleged conduct has exacerbated the pain and suffering of several Australian citizens.
"And by engaging with him, these Australian leaders have further added to these courageous alleged victims' hurt."
Mr Waks called upon Mr Cook and WA state MP Simon Millan, who is also part of the delegation, to apologise over the meeting.
A spokeswoman for Mr Cook said he was leading a trade delegation to Israel with key members of the WA health research and innovation sector, including private sector representatives.
"Program arrangements have been made in conjunction with the Australian Embassy in Israel, the Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce and the WA Government Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DJTSI) to encourage investment and grow jobs in our state," she said.
"Whilst the current court proceedings are a matter for the Israeli justice system, Minister Cook would never wish to cause pain or suffering to any alleged victims of child sex abuse.
"Minister Cook was unaware of the allegations against Minister Litzman prior to arriving in Jerusalem for their meeting."
The Israel-Australia Chamber of Commerce issued an apology over the meeting last night.
"On reflection, the Chamber is profoundly sorry for facilitating the meeting with Litzman whilst there are serious allegations made against him and fully supports the campaign to bring Malka Leifer to justice in Australia," executive director Paul Israel said.
"The Chamber sincerely apologises to the victims, their families and supporters for causing any hurt and pain.
"Minister Cook was not aware of the allegations against Deputy Health Minister Litzman prior to the meeting and this is something the Chamber deeply regrets."
A decision on Ms Leifer's extradition is expected in September, but Australian officials have been critical of the time it has taken for the Israeli justice system to decide the case.
Ms Leifer was first arrested in Israel in 2014 and the Australian Jewish community has also expressed its dismay at how long proceedings have dragged on.
In February 2018, then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull raised the case with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu.
Originally published at WA Today.
He told Israeli media in February his intervention in the case was "all for the good of the public, everything was legal".
Ms Leifer is the former principal of an ultra-Orthodox Jewish school in Melbourne charged with 74 counts of child sexual abuse allegedly committed against three sisters between 2001-2008.
An alleged victim of Ms Leifer, Dassi Erlich, said she was "more than infuriated" when she read Israeli news reports of Mr Cook's meeting with Rabbi Litzman.
"I woke up to news of that meeting early this morning [Monday], and it kind of felt a bit like a slap in the face," Ms Erlich said.
"We have Australia consistently telling us, 'what can we do to help, we want justice in this case,' and then we see all these reports coming from Israel saying that Litzman is alleged to have helped not just Malka Leifer, but a lot of other paedophiles escape justice.
"And here is an Australian delegation legitimising who he is and his position, given what they know about him.
"It absolutely hurt a lot."
Ms Erlich, who first reported allegations against against Ms Leifer to police in 2011, said the allegations against Rabbi Litzman were all over the news in Israel and she couldn't understand how an Australian politician could not have known about them.
Manny Waks, the executive director of child sex abuse prevention non-profit Kol v'Oz, said he was astonished at the meeting.
"This is an affront to Leifer’s alleged victims, their supporters, and to those of us working tirelessly to ensure justice is achieved," he told Israeli reporters.
"At the very least, no Australian official should be legitimising Litzman by engaging with him while he is still under investigation – his alleged conduct has exacerbated the pain and suffering of several Australian citizens.
"And by engaging with him, these Australian leaders have further added to these courageous alleged victims' hurt."
Mr Waks called upon Mr Cook and WA state MP Simon Millan, who is also part of the delegation, to apologise over the meeting.
A spokeswoman for Mr Cook said he was leading a trade delegation to Israel with key members of the WA health research and innovation sector, including private sector representatives.
"Program arrangements have been made in conjunction with the Australian Embassy in Israel, the Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce and the WA Government Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DJTSI) to encourage investment and grow jobs in our state," she said.
"Whilst the current court proceedings are a matter for the Israeli justice system, Minister Cook would never wish to cause pain or suffering to any alleged victims of child sex abuse.
"Minister Cook was unaware of the allegations against Minister Litzman prior to arriving in Jerusalem for their meeting."
The Israel-Australia Chamber of Commerce issued an apology over the meeting last night.
"On reflection, the Chamber is profoundly sorry for facilitating the meeting with Litzman whilst there are serious allegations made against him and fully supports the campaign to bring Malka Leifer to justice in Australia," executive director Paul Israel said.
"The Chamber sincerely apologises to the victims, their families and supporters for causing any hurt and pain.
"Minister Cook was not aware of the allegations against Deputy Health Minister Litzman prior to the meeting and this is something the Chamber deeply regrets."
A decision on Ms Leifer's extradition is expected in September, but Australian officials have been critical of the time it has taken for the Israeli justice system to decide the case.
Ms Leifer was first arrested in Israel in 2014 and the Australian Jewish community has also expressed its dismay at how long proceedings have dragged on.
In February 2018, then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull raised the case with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu.
Originally published at WA Today.