portrait shot of Dassi

Israeli PM to review extradition of alleged abuser Malka Leifer

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to review the delay in extraditing an ultra-orthodox Jewish principal accused of sexually abusing girls in a Melbourne school before fleeing to Israel.

Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed he raised the matter with Mr Netanyahu during a visit to Israel earlier this month.

Malka Leifer​, a former principal at the Adass Israel School in Elsternwick, is wanted by Victoria Police over multiple counts of alleged sexual assault and rape.

But she fled to Israel in 2008 after the allegations against her emerged without facing the Victorian justice system.

One of those alleged victims, Dassi Erlich, received a letter from Mr Andrews praising her “courageous campaign for justice, not only for yourself but for many others”.

Read the article by Benjamin Preiss in The Age.