Australian Jewish leaders say it is "deplorable" and "a slap in the face" that Israel's new health minister is ultra-Orthodox lawmaker Yaakov Litzman, who is suspected of aiding accused sex offender Malka Leifer evade extradition to Australia. 

Australia has been trying to extradite Leifer to face 74 charges of sexually assaulting female students when she was the head of the ultra-Orthodox Adass Israel School in Melbourne.  Litzman is reportedly a member of Gur Hasidic sect affiliated with the school.  Police suspect him of using his previous position as deputy health minister to pressure government psychiatrists to alter their reports and prevent any such extradition on mental health grounds.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the appointment over the weekend, even though police want Litzman indicted for bribery and breach of trust over the Leifer case, and another involving an attempt to prevent the closing of a restaurant belonging to an associate.  That decision was "deplorable," according to Australia/Israel and Jewish Affairs Council executive director Colin Rubenstein.

"It's an awful decision and we're surprised and shocked," Mr. Rubenstein told The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald.  "How do you balance moral integrity and pure political survival? We think the Prime Minister has erred on the wrong side on this."

Zionist Federation of Australia President Jeremy Leibler called the appointment a "slap in the face" of the Australian Jewish community:  "It demonstrates a complete disregard for the survivors of Malka Leifer's alleged abuse and the Australian Jewish community," he told Israel's Haaretz newspaper.