Father Gabriel Naddaf, an Israeli Greek Orthodox priest who heads an initiative aimed at integrating Israeli Christian Arabs into the IDF, sexually harassed young people who sought his help, Channel 2 reports.
Naddaf has been named as one of the ceremonial torch lighters at a state Independence Day ceremony in Jerusalem next week.
The report airs transcripts of conversations between Naddaf and a series of young men — among them both Israeli soldiers and Palestinians — in which the priest appeared to promise to help them in exchange for sexual favors.
Father Gabriel Naddaf, in his living room, alongside a likeness of Mary, May 2014 (Mitch Ginsburg/Times of Israel)
None of the young men have lodged official complaints, the report says.
It says Naddaf took a lie detector test at Channel 2’s request and failed.
Naddaf rejects the allegations, attributing them to “criminal elements in the community, along with elements that have been driven insane by the success of my life’s work.”
He adds, “God will punish these people for harming me, my wife and two sons, who are currently serving in the IDF.”
Naddaf also cites two more polygraph tests, which he says he passed.
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