President Rivlin pledges to intervene in Leifer extradition

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin has told Australian politicians he will personally intervene in the extradition of the alleged child abuser Malka Leifer, if there are more delays in legal proceedings beyond this week.

Leifer, a former principal of Melbourne’s ultra-orthodox Adass Israel girls’ school, fled Israel in 2008 as accusations against her surfaced. She has since been charged with 74 counts of child sexual abuse.

Australian authorities lodged an extradition request in 2014. But her extradition has been subject to more than 60 hearings and has stalled on several occasions.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and other federal parliamentarians sought an explanation from the President during a meeting in Canberra today.

Federal MP Josh Burns – whose electoral of Macnamara is Australia’s biggest Jewish electorate and is where the alleged abuse occurred – told The Jewish Independent that he was pleased to meet President Rivlin.

“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.

"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.”