Ex-employee accuses Ashkelon mayor of sexual harassment

Itamar Shimoni, the Ashkelon mayor who came under fire last week for announcing he would lay off Arab construction workers installing bomb shelters in local kindergartens, has been accused of sexual harassment.

In a letter addressed to the mayor, a former female municipal employee accused him of exploiting his authority to sexually harass her over an extended period, Channel 10 reported.

The woman, who remained unidentified, claimed she holds incriminating evidence validating her accusations, though no police complaint has been filed so far.

In the letter, transferred to the mayor at some point in recent weeks, the woman demanded a substantial financial compensation for the injustice she endured, and she is now awaiting a response.

Speaking to Channel 10, Shimoni denied the allegations, claiming he had not received any letter. “Perhaps there are politicians spreading rumors in an attempt to hurt me,” he said.

The report came a day after Channel 2 revealed a municipal employee filed a police complaint against a mayor of a central Israeli town for alleged sexual harassment. In the police complaint, she claimed the unnamed mayor harassed her while she was employed in the municipality three years ago, adding that he acted similarly toward other female workers.

Police told Channel 2 they have yet to decide if they will bring in the accused mayor for questioning. The mayor’s lawyer, Sasi Gez, denied the allegations, claiming that “a complaint against a public servant that reaches the press before the accused is summoned for questioning is an outlandish complaint rooted in political interests.”

Last Wednesday, Shimoni drew harsh responses from Israeli leaders after he announced he would terminate the construction of shelters at any kindergarten where Arab workers were employed, and also order the posting of armed guards outside kindergartens near building sites that employed Arab construction workers.

On Sunday, the mayor backtracked from his plans, announcing he will allow the workers to continue as planned, and instead temporarily transfer the pre-K pupils to community centers until the work is completed, Ynet reported.

“My decision was disproportionate,” Shimoni said told Ynet. “Overall I was attentive to parents, and under no circumstances did I give an order to expel Arabs from Ashkelon.”