Israel: justice authorizes extradition of Australian accused of pedophilia

Members of Malka Leifer's family leave Jerusalem District Court, after approval of his extradition, September 21, 2020. REUTERS / Ammar Awad

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An Israeli court has given the green light for the extradition of Malka Leifer, a former ultra-Orthodox school principal accused of child sexual abuse in Australia, but now residing in Israel.

This is a turning point, but not an end, in this pedophilia affair which has been causing tensions between the two countries and the Australian Jewish community for years. 

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With our correspondent in Jerusalem,

After a

procedure

which has continued in episodes for more than six years, we are close to a conclusion, according to the general opinion.

The judgment handed down by the Jerusalem District Court is decisive: Malka Leifer can be extradited to her country of origin,

, to face 74 counts of rape and sexual assault on dozens of minors.

The court noted that the former headmistress of Adass Israel School in Melbourne, an institution for young girls, had faked mental illness in order to avoid extradition and yet she is able to answer for her actions before the courts. judges.

In Israel, Malka Leifer would have notably enjoyed the support of the leader of the ultra-Orthodox party Yahadout HaTorah,

.

The police recommended the indictment of the latter, because of the pressure he would have exerted to change the doctors' expertise on the mental state of the accused.

But all is not yet finished.

Lawyers for Malka Leifer, who evoke " 

 ", indicated that they would appeal the extradition order to the Israeli Supreme Court: a matter of a few months, experts believe.

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