Court urged to reject Litzman deal
"If Yaakov Litzman has pled guilty to a charge of breach of trust … it is difficult to comprehend how a small fine and suspended sentence delivers justice to the survivors of Leifer's alleged abuse," - President of the ZFA Jeremy Leibler
Communal leaders are fuming following reports that Israel’s former deputy health minister Yaakov Litzman has signed a plea deal after being charged with using his position to thwart the extradition of accused child sex offender Malka Leifer.
It was revealed last Thursday that the obstruction of justice charge would be dropped in favour of an admission of breach of trust and, avoiding a jail term, he would simply be sentenced to probation, as well as a fine of NIS 3000 (approximately $1300).
Litzman had been accused of pressuring those evaluating Leifer’s fitness to face extradition proceedings to change their reports.
President of the Zionist Federation of Australia Jeremy Leibler said, “If Yaakov Litzman has pled guilty to a charge of breach of trust … it is difficult to comprehend how a small fine and suspended sentence delivers justice to the survivors of Leifer’s alleged abuse.
“While we respect the Israeli judicial process, we urge the court which must approve the deal to have regard to the impact that Litzman’s alleged conduct has had and continues to have on the public’s confidence in the integrity of Israel’s elected officials.”
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry was equally disheartened with co-CEO Peter Wertheim lamenting, “We are thankful that Israel finally extradited Leifer to Australia after seven years of extradition proceedings. But for how many years were those proceedings wrongfully prolonged, to the added distress and anxiety of the survivors of Leifer’s alleged abuse, as a consequence of Yaakov Litzman misusing his former position … to thwart the extradition?
“Any interference in the course of justice by a government minister is an abuse of power of the utmost gravity. For the sake of Israel’s good name and the high reputation of its system of justice, such abuse needs to be punished with appropriate severity. A fine and a suspended sentence … fall well short of the mark … No judge should approve it.”
Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council executive director Colin Rubenstein concurred, stating, “It is a truth in both secular and Jewish jurisprudence that justice must not only be done, but must be seen to be done, and neither of these requirements would seem to be fulfilled here.
“This result can only add to the trauma of Malka Leifer’s alleged victims … Their distress will be shared by the Australian Jewish community as a whole, which has followed and admired their inspirational fight for justice.”
Leifer, who was extradited to Australia last year, has pleaded not guilty to at least 70 charges relating to child sexual abuse allegedly occurring at Melbourne’s Adass Israel School between 2004 and 2008.
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