Supreme court rejects what's hopefully the last appeal Malka Leifer can make, ruling she's to be extradited back to Australia
The Israeli supreme court's rejected Haredi child molestor Malka Leifer's appeal against extradition, so now, she'll hopefully be on her way back Down Under soon, and let's hope she won't try any offensive tricks to worm her way out of this again:
Update: here's more on Australian Broadcasting.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that former school principal Malka Leifer can be extradited to Australia, where she is wanted to face charges of sexual abuse of pupils, bringing her six-year effort to prevent the move to an almost certain end.I strongly recommend besides signing the forms now, that prison authorities start making Leifer pack her filthy bags immediately. And her relatives should be charged with concealing crimes, and failure to prevent them. In addition, even her lawyers owe considerable apologies for trying to legitimize sexual assault on minors in court, in one of the most repulsive displays of contempt for victims. Let's be clear: lawyers have to have a moral backbone, and just because they're working in defense is no excuse.
Speaking to The Times of Israel, Dassi Erlich, who has led the campaign to see Leifer face justice, said, “It is incredible to reach this point after so many years, a decision that we dreamed of happening and never gave up hope.”
Justice Minister Avi Nissenkorn, whose signature is required to authorize Leifer’s transfer to Australian authorities, swiftly tweeted that he will not dawdle in signing the paperwork.
“After long and torturous years, the time has come to do justice to Leifer’s victims,” he wrote. “I intend to sign the extradition order without delay.”
Once Nissenkorn signs off on the extradition, Israel will have 60 days to place Leifer on a plane to Australia.
David Southwick, a Victoria state lawmaker for the district of Melbourne, Australia, welcomed the court ruling, tweeting, “Justice is one step closer to being served after years of court cases, appeals and pain for victims of child abuse and all survivors.” [...]On which note, let's not forget the accountability Litzman has to shoulder, along with the apologies he owes the 3 sisters for siding with a monster in such repellent fashion. Why, he practically owes monetary compensation to the sisters, as do Leifer's own relatives and community. Money wasted on lawyers with reprehensible conduct, no less. It's time for some improvement now.
Erlich, who has led the accusations against Leifer, responded to the Supreme Court decision by tweeting “A STAGGERING CONCLUSION TO 74 COURT HEARINGS!”
The drawn-out saga has tested Jerusalem’s relations with Canberra. Frustration in Australia — which has registered its interest in Leifer’s swift return at the highest levels of Israel’s government — peaked last year when allegations came to light that Israel’s then-deputy health minister Yaakov Litzman was pressuring state psychiatrists to diagnose Leifer, who fled to Israel in 2008, as mentally unfit to face justice. The accusations came in light of the fact that the physician assigned to the case had changed his assessment three times regarding Leifer’s mental state. Police have recommended that Litzman be indicted for his alleged conduct involving the case.
All that aside, valid arguments have been made that it was entirely possible to have prevented this case from going on as long as it did, and that's why an investigation must be made into why no proper steps were taken to ensure justice would be swifter. Leifer's own community should be ostracized for the way they kept this going on too. For now, the Israeli authorities had better make sure Leifer's put on the plane back to Oz, and there must be no complaints about lack of kosher food or other stuff she doesn't deserve.
Update 2: here's a JTA article about an American woman combatting sexual abuse in Haredi communities.
Update 3: in this Jerusalem Post op-ed, a crucial query is asked for how sex offenders can be prevented from finding safe harbor in Israel, and I'd linked to a previous editorial in this earlier post on the subject as well.
Update 4: Nissenkorn's signed the extradition order. If Leifer tries to appeal this, the courts will be wise to reject any remaining stall attempt she makes from the outset. Here's another op-ed at the Jerusalem Post about the case.
Labels: Australia, haredi corruption, Israel, Knesset, misogyny, Moonbattery, political corruption
