Moroccan body calls to close Israeli liaison office over sexual misconduct allegations

The Moroccan National Action Group for Palestine demanded Thursday to “close the Israeli liaison office in Rabat, and cease normalisation with Israel”, following sexual abuse allegations against envoy, David Govrin, Anadolu news agency reported.

The Group, which includes a number of bodies, unions and non-governmental associations that support the Palestinian cause, condemned in a statement the “Moroccan officials’ silence” about the accusations.

The Group announced that it will organise a sit-in in the Moroccan capital, Rabat, on Friday, to protest the “suspicions of sexual harassment and corruption” that occurred in the office.

The Group said the sit- in came “following the resounding scandal with which the Zionists of the Zionist Liaison Office in Rabat target the dignity, sovereignty and honour of Morocco and Moroccans through harassment and sexual exploitation of Moroccan women”.

On Monday, Israeli public broadcaster, Kan, reported that the Israeli Foreign Ministry had opened an investigation into “serious suspicions” that occurred at the Israeli liaison office in Morocco, including allegations of exploitation of women by a senior official, sexual harassment, moral crimes and sharp conflict between diplomats.

Kan explained that “if these allegations are proven true, they cause a serious diplomatic incident in the sensitive relations between Israel and Morocco”.

Later on Tuesday, the Israeli Foreign Ministry summoned Govrin, over suspicions of sexual harassment and corruption, according to the Israeli Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper.

On Thursday, the Moroccan government spokesman, Mustapha Baitas, denied that the government had discussed the aforementioned suspicions.

On 10 December, 2020, Israel and Morocco announced the resumption of diplomatic relations between them, after suspending them in 2000.

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