Malka Leifer, a former educator who is accused of sexually abusing several former students, has been fighting extradition from Israel since 2014.

By Associated Press

An Israeli court on Monday approved the extradition of a former teacher wanted in Australia on charges of child sex abuse, paving the way for her to stand trial after a six-year legal battle.

Malka Leifer, a former educator who is accused of sexually abusing several former students, has been fighting extradition from Israel since 2014. Leifer maintains her innocence and the battle surrounding her extradition has strained relations between Israel and Australia.

Leifer’s attorneys said they would appeal the extradition decision to Israel’s Supreme Court.

“For those who think that this chapter is now closed, I’m sorry, the process will still last quite a few months more,” said Nick Kaufman, one of Leifer’s defense lawyers.

Earlier this month, Israel’s Supreme Court rejected an appeal by Leifer’s attorney over a Jerusalem court’s ruling that she was mentally fit to stand trial, saying it was “putting an end to the saga that has been drawn out for many years.”

On Monday, the Jerusalem District Court ruled that Leifer would be deported to Australia to stand trial for 74 charges of child sex abuse, lawyers said.

Critics, including Leifer’s alleged victims, have accused Israeli authorities of dragging out the case for far too long.

State prosecutor Avital Ribner Oron said Leifer had made “every effort to avoid and delay the extradition proceedings” but that “today the court put an end to those efforts and declared her extraditable to Australia.”

The ruling “was an important decision for the rule of law, for international cooperation, and most importantly, to the victims of Malka Leifer’s crimes,” Oron said.

In Australia, parliament member Josh Burns praised the court ruling.

“Justice has taken far too long. But finally, justice has won the day,” Burn said. “And while we await further appeals, we call on the Israeli judicial system to deal with them as quickly as possible and for the justice minister to give the extradition the final sign off without any further delays.”

Earlier this year an Israeli psychiatric panel determined Leifer had lied about suffering a mental condition that made her unfit to stand trial. As a result of the findings, Israel’s Justice Ministry said it would move to expedite her extradition.

Three sisters — Dassi Erlich, Nicole Meyer and Elly Sapper — have accused Leifer of abusing them while they were students at a Melbourne ultra-Orthodox school. There are said to be other victims.

The Associated Press does not usually identify alleged victims of sexual abuse, but the sisters have spoken publicly about their allegations against Leifer.

As accusations surfaced in 2008, Israeli-born Leifer left the school and returned to Israel, where she has lived since.

Manny Waks, the head of Kol v’Oz, a Jewish group that combats child sex abuse and that has been representing the three sisters, said Monday’s ruling marked “a great day for justice.”

“It is a day which at times seemed like it would never arrive, but we are thrilled that it is finally here,” Waks said. “It has taken 71 court hearings to get to this point. It has been Israel’s shame.”

The post Israel to extradite woman to Australia in child sex case appeared first on World Israel News.

The vast majority of Orthodox Jews gave a Trump a “Satisfactory” or “Very Satisfactory” review.

By: World Israel News Staff

President Donald Trump receives strong support from America’s Orthodox Jews, according to a recent poll conducted by Ami Magazine.

The magazine writes that in the first-of-a-kind survey, it commissioned a poll of Orthodox Jews in the Tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut about their views on Trump’s performance.

A whopping 91 percent of participants gave the president a “Satisfactory” or “Very Satisfactory” review, and a total of 82 percent said they would vote for him again in 2020.

In comparison, Rasmussen’s daily tracking poll of the general public for July 30 showed a 47-percent approval rating.

Interestingly, Trump’s high level of support among Orthodox Jews in the Tri-state area crosses party lines. About 37 percent of the registered Democrats said they would vote for Trump in 2020, and 71 percent of the Democrats gave Trump a “Satisfactory” or “Very Satisfactory” approval rating.

Ami noted what was termed as “a disturbing point” – 29 percent of those polled are not registered to vote.

The pollsters surveyed 263 people over two weeks.

A recent survey conducted among Israelis shows that 77 percent of the public believe that Trump supports Israel’s interests.

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The orthodox Jewish community of Monsey, New York, is on high alert after two failed but frightening attacks on female residents in recent days.

The post WATCH: Two orthodox Jewish women attacked in New York City suburb appeared first on World Israel News.