Media Releases

The Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) has described as “deplorable” the Dec. 27 appointment of Yaakov Litzman as Israel’s Health Minister, despite police recommendations that he should face criminal charges for alleged interference in the extradition case against accused paedophile and former school principal Malka Leifer.

AIJAC’s Dr. Colin Rubenstein AM stated, “Yaakov Litzman’s appointment as Israel’s Health Minister is a deplorable decision, insulting to Australia and all those many Australians justifiably expecting the prompt extradition of Malka Leifer, who has been charged with more than 70 counts of child sexual abuse in Melbourne.

“While we understand that the Israeli government cannot directly interfere in the extradition process for Leifer, which is in the hands of Israel’s independent judiciary, the very least Jerusalem can do is offer support and sympathy to the survivors of Leifer’s abuse, who have already waited far too long to see justice done. The promotion of Litzman does exactly the opposite, actually adding to their anguish.”

Rubenstein also said the promotion “must be” related to Netanyahu’s quest for political survival, with the Prime Minister facing a third election in quick succession in March. “How do you balance moral integrity and pure political survival? We think the Prime Minister has badly erred in prioritising the latter over the former on this occasion,” Rubenstein added.

Dr. Rubenstein was also quoted on the Litzman appointment and the Leifer case in a piece published in the Age and Sydney Morning Herald online on Dec. 30.