An Israeli court has ruled that a former principal of an Australian school accused of sexually assaulting students could be extradited to Australia for trial, but implementation could be held up by an appeal.
Malka Leifer has fought her return to Australia since 2014, including with a submission of mental illness.
Ms Leifer, who was the principal of an ultra-Orthodox Jewish school in Melbourne, has denied the allegations against her.
Jerusalem District Court, having ruled in May that Ms Leifer was fit to face trial on the basis of a series of psychiatric examinations, decided at Monday's session that she could be extradited.
It gave her 30 days to lodge an appeal with Israel's Supreme Court, and Ms Leifer's lawyers said a challenge against extradition would be mounted there.
"Those who think that this process is now a closed chapter - I'm afraid will be disappointed," Nick Kaufman, one of Ms Leifer's attorneys, told reporters. "There is a long way to go until Mrs Leifer will be surrendered to Australia, if at all."
Ms Leifer is wanted by Australian police on 74 sexual assault charges, including rape, involving girls at her former school. She left Australia in 2008 after accusations against her surfaced.
Australia has pressed Israel to expedite Ms Leifer’s case and her alleged victims have criticised the long Israeli judicial proceedings.
Elly Sapper, one of Ms Leifer's alleged victims along with her sisters Dassi Erlich and Nicole Meyer, told SBS News they were relieved following the decision on Monday.
"For so long we doubted whether we would see this day, but today we are seeing justice happen," she said. The sisters said they were hoping Ms Leifer would be in Australia by early 2021.
Elly Sapper, Dassi Erlich and Nicole Meyer in May. Source: AAP
"We actually gave our police statements in 2011, so it's been nine years we have been waiting for this day," Ms Erlich added. "It's a victory for everyone today."
Manny Waks, the chief executive of Kol V'oz, an organisation fighting sexual abuse in the Jewish community, said it had taken more than 70 court hearings to get to this point.
"I have personally attended most of these hearings and experienced first hand ... the avoidable toll this has taken on Leifer's alleged victims," Mr Waks said.
"It is important that we do not lose sight of that and get to the bottom of how this happened, including the role which the ultra-Orthodox community and their politicians may have had to play in this shameful situation so that it is never repeated."
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