Israeli authorities have extradited Malka Leifer, a woman wanted on 74 charges of child sex abuse in Australia. Following a six-year legal battle that strained relations between the two nations, Leifer is being extradited to Australia on Monday. Accusations against Israel-born Leifer started emerging in 2008.
The Israeli Supreme Court, in December 2020, had rejected a final appeal against her extradition and Israel's justice minister signed the order to send her to Australia. Leifer is being sent to Australia before Israeli airports shut down to tighten coronavirus restrictions.
Leifer was a formerly a school principal at Adass Israel Haredi girls school in Melbourne. After the accusations started emerging, the school board purchased a ticket for Leifer and sent her Israel before charges against her were filed. She feigned mental illness to avoid trial. Leifer was arrested in Israel in 2014. in 2016, the proceedings against her were put on hold after she was deemed mentally unfit. In 2018 she was arrested again, as private investigators found her to be living a fully functional life.
The Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council called Leifer's extradition extremely gratifying news. Dassi Elrich, Leifer's former student and her sisters-- Nicole Meyer and Elli Sapper has accused Leifer of sexually abusing them. The sisters had started the "Bring Leifer Back" campaign when it came to light that Leifer was lying about suffering from ill mental health.
