JERUSALEM (AP) – Israeli authorities on Monday extradited a woman wanted on 74 charges of child sexual abuse in Australia after a six-year legal battle that strained relations between the two governments.
Malka Leifer, a former teacher accused of sexually abusing several former students at a Jewish school in Melbourne, has been fighting extradition from Israel since 2014. Leifer maintains her innocence and the prolonged court case and repeated delays over her extradition have provoked criticism from Australian officials as well as the country’s Jewish leaders.
Israeli media took off early Monday when Leifer boarded a plane at Ben Gurion Airport, handcuffed with her ankles and wrists. Her lawyer, Nick Kaufman, confirmed the extradition.
The Hebrew news website Ynet reported that she had boarded a flight to Frankfurt, where she would travel to Australia on another flight.
Her departure was so determined that she left the country before Israel closed the airport at midnight due to the coronavirus outbreak in the country.
In December, the Supreme Court rejected a final appeal against her extradition, and the Israeli justice minister signed the order to send her to Australia.
Leifer is facing 74 charges of sexual abuse of children she allegedly committed during her education in Melbourne.
As accusations against her began to appear in 2008, Leifer left the Israeli-born school and returned to Israel, where she has lived ever since.
Critics, including Leifer’s alleged victims, have accused the Israeli authorities of dragging out the case for too long, while Leifer claims she is mentally unfit to stand trial.
Last year, an Israeli psychiatric panel determined that Leifer was lying about her mental state and set the extradition in motion.
Avi Nissenkorn, Israel’s former justice minister who signed the extradition order, wrote on Twitter: “I promised not to obstruct the extradition order, and that’s what I did. Malka Leifer’s victims will ultimately deserve an act of justice. ”
Manny Waks, head of Voice against Child Sex Abuse, an organization representing Leifer’s victims, said in a statement that it was an incredible day for justice! ‘
“We can now really look forward to Leifer standing trial in Australia on the 74 charges she is facing,” he said.