Israeli Court Lifts House Arrest of Australian Former Jewish School Principal Accused of Abuse

Haaretz
June 2, 2016

http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.722851

A former principal of a Jewish girls' school in Australia will not face immediate extradition from Israel to Australia on 74 allegations of indecent assault and rape, reportedly involving girls at the Jewish school in Melbourne, because she is currently mentally incompetent to face extradition proceedings, a Jerusalem judge ruled on Thursday.

As reported by Australian Associated Press, Jerusalem District Court Judge Amnon Cohen ruled that any move to extradite Malka Leifer, the former principal at the Adass Israel School will wait until she has concluded psychiatric treatment, which "could go on for years," the Australian news agency reported.

Based on a psychiatric evaluation, the judge reportedly ordered initial outpatient psychiatric treatment for Leifer for six months, but the Australian Associated Press added that can will be reevaluated periodically in a process that could last up to ten years.

The mother of eight ran the Adass Israel girls’ school from 2001 to 2008, until she was fired amid accusations that she molested students. She fled to Israel some 24 hours after the allegations became public.