A district court in Jerusalem decided Monday after years of legal hearings that a former school principal accused of several cases of sexual abuse of her students in Australia can be handed over to face charges there.
Malka Leifer had resisted since 2014 her extradition to Australia - including with a submission of insanity. Leifer, a principal of an ultra-Orthodox Jewish school in Melbourne, said she was innocent. Her drawn out extradition has frayed ties between Australia and Israel.
The Israel court, which in May ruled Leifer was mentally capable to stand trial on the basis of psychiatric evaluations, said in its resolution she can be sent back to Australia to stand trial on charges brought against her.
Leifer has 30 days to file an appeal with the Supreme Court and her legal representatives said a dispute against her extradition would be processed in Israel.
The Jerusalem District Court on Monday determined Leifer could be extradited to Australia to face 74 counts of child sexual abuse against girls - including rape. The formal extradition proceedings require an official order by a justice official in Israel.
A previous attempt to extradite Leifer between 2014 and 2016 didn't materialize after she was sent to mental institutions and experts decided she was unfit to attend court proceedings.
According to Nick Kaufman, one of Leifer's lawyers, those who think the process is "now closed, I'm afraid will be disappointed," Reuters quoted the attorney as saying. "There's a long way to go until Leifer will be surrendered to Australia - if at all."
Meanwhile, others, including Leifer's alleged victims, claimed Israel authorities had dragged out the lawsuit far too long.
