Israel’s controversial Law of Return, once intended as a safe haven for Jews, is now being widely used by convicted and accused pedophiles who flee to Israel to escape prosecution—and find protection under the Israeli government.

The law, which grants automatic Israeli citizenship to anyone of Jewish descent, is effectively shielding pedophiles from prosecution anywhere in the world by placing them under the protection of the Israeli state—turning the country into a de facto safe haven for sex offenders.

Human rights advocates and lawmakers around the world have called on the Israeli government to amend the Law of Return to prevent criminals—particularly sex offenders—from taking advantage of it.

However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has refused to amend the law, prompting critics to describe the country as a “sex offenders’ paradise.”

The law does not include provisions for vetting new immigrants for criminal backgrounds before they arrive in the country. This has allowed individuals, including convicted child sex abusers, to relocate to Israel and gain legal protection simply by claiming Jewish ancestry.

Jewish Community Watch, which started tracking accused pedophiles in 2014, said that most of its cases originate from Orthodox to ultra-Orthodox communities in the US, but that it happens across the wider Jewish community as well.

One of the most infamous cases is that of Malka Leifer, a former ultra-Orthodox school principal accused of sexually abusing multiple girls in Australia.

Leifer fled to Israel in 2008, where she was shielded for years by government allies—some of whom went so far as to accuse her child victims of “antisemitism” for seeking justice.

Malka Leifer, a former ultra-Orthodox school principal accused of sexually abusing multiple school girls in Australia

Fighting extradition for over a decade, Leifer was aided by legal delays and claims of mental unfitness. Only after intense international pressure was the pedophile eventually returned to Australia to face trial.

Legal experts warn that unless changes are made, Israel will continue to be viewed as a shield for predators fleeing justice, all under the guise of historical sanctuary.