David Govrin, head of Israel’s diplomatic mission in Morocco, claimed that the sexual harassment accusations against him were fabricated by the mission’s official in charge of security in his Rabat office in the context of a conflict between them, according to Ynet news.
The Israeli government’s newly opened liaison office in Rabat has been hit by allegations of sexual misconduct and financial mismanagement, accusing Govrin of harassment and sexual exploitation of Moroccan female employees in the office, which prompted Israel’s Foreign Ministry to recall him last week, as part of an ongoing investigation.
Govrin’s lawyer, Dror Matityahu, wrote to the Foreign Ministry Director General, Alon Ushpiz, to refute the claims, stating that Ran Metzuyanim, the mission’s top security official had fabricated the allegations out of retaliation and was motivated by “hatred and revenge,” according to the same source.
The lawyer qualified Metzuyanim’s act in his letter as “an attempt to harm the ambassador and his partner and to inappropriately remove him from office,” adding that the allegations were “likely fabricated by a fake woman.”
The same letter stated that David Govrin has “no intention of dealing with a claim that has not been brought to his attention, on an unknown subject.”
Govrin filed a complaint against Metzuyanim in February, alleging that the latter violated regulations by using the mission’s security vehicle, which the Foreign Ministry inspector deemed reasonable, according to the same source.
Govrin also reported to Tel Aviv in April that Metzuyanim was unfit for his position and that keeping the security chief in his post would cause “diplomatic damage.”
In response to the complaint, Metzuyanim “contacted various media outlets and launched a slanderous, crude and insulting campaign against the ambassador,” stressed the lawyer of the Israeli envoy.
In the wake of the allegations, a senior foreign ministry official told Ynet News that Govrin was unlikely to return to his post in Morocco.
Four staff members were reported to have recently been fired as a direct result of Govrin’s poor relationship with other mission officials.
Israeli Director-General Alon Ushpiz decided last week to remove Govrin from his position after a high-level Israeli delegation arrived in Morocco to collect statements from ministry officials.
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