No women willing to testify against Shalom in probe
Police cite lack of progress in sexual harassment investigation into former Likud minister; inquiry into ex-Jewish Home MK Magal said to close
Police have not made progress in sexual harassment probes against former Likud minister Silvan Shalom and former Jewish Home MK Yinon Magal, weeks after the two politicians resigned amid separate accusations.
Three weeks after Shalom’s resignation on December 20, police said that none of the women questioned so far had agreed to file an official complaint against the former minister, Channel 2 News reported Sunday.
(Update: The allegations against Shalom were not substantiated and the investigation was subsequently closed.)
Investigators have so far questioned four women who originally told journalists that they had been sexually harassed by Shalom. The women reportedly expressed their opposition to being involved in official legal proceedings against Shalom, including taking the stand in court.
The number of women who initially complained against Shalom prior to his resignation was reported to be 13. Should none of the women who came out with the allegations agree to file an official complaint against him, the police may then turn to the attorney general to seek counsel on how to proceed.
Channel 2 also reported that the investigation into former Jewish Home MK Magal, who resigned from the Knesset on November 30, had run into a similar situation as none of the four women originally accusing him of sexual misconduct had agreed to step forward and file an official complaint against him.
Police reportedly plan to close the investigation against Magal.
The Times of Israel Community.