Ex-envoy Dave Sharma: Leifer case damaging ties with Israel

Israel’s failure so far in extraditing alleged pedophile Malka Leifer to Australia is “doing damage to Israel’s reputation” and “increasingly becoming a point of contention and friction” in the Israel-Australia relationship, Australian MP David Sharma, a former ambassador to Jerusalem, told the Australian parliament. Sharma, who served as Canberra’s ambassador from 2013 to 2017 and is considered a strong friend of Israel, addressed the case in a short speech to parliament on Thursday, where he said he wanted to talk about an “important of issue of justice.” He won a Liberal party seat in parliament from a heavily Jewish district in Sydney in May. Sharma told parliament that he conveyed Australia’s extradition request to the Jerusalem District Court in 2014 so that Leifer could face 74 charges of sexual assault that were filed against her in connection with her time as principal of the Adass Israel School in Melbourne. “I expected it would be a straightforward case, that the wheels of justice would turn and that within the space of 12 to 18 months, we would see Ms. Leifer extradited to Australia in order to face justice for these most grave and serious charges leveled against her,” he said. “But I regret to report that, in the five years that have since elapsed, we seem to be no closer to seeing this extradition request fulfilled. There have been upwards of 60 court hearings in this case in Israel and, yet, we are no closer to having Ms. Leifer extradited. This is not only an affront to justice but deeply traumatic for the victims of this abuse.” Ten days ago the Supreme Court ruled that Leifer will not be released from custody until a final decision is made regarding her extradition, overturning what Sharma characterized as an “almost inexplicable” Jerusalem District Court decision that would have released Leifer to house arrest. Sharma said that Leifer has ”continually used claims about her mental state to frustrate and delay attempts to extradite her,” and that “the willingness of the Israeli legal system to entertain these claims seems to take no consideration of the fragile mental state of Ms Leifer’s alleged victims and their legitimate desire to see justice served in this case.” Sharma also said he hopes allegations against deputy health minister Yaakov Litzman for pressuring officials to prevent Leifer’s extradition are “fully and fearlessly investigated.” “I do not doubt the independence and the integrity of the Israeli legal system, nor do I doubt the commitment of the Israeli Ministry of Justice to pursuing this case, but enough is enough,” Sharma said. “This case has gone on for far too long.” The former envoy said that Israel should know that “at all levels this is an important case for Australia,” and that it is having an impact on bilateral relations and how Israel is being seen in the country. This case, he concluded, “is one that we will not let rest until we see Ms. Leifer extradited to face justice in Australia.”