Israeli PM's CoS to quit on harassment charges

In an embarrassment to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his Chief of Staff (CoS) will quit after being accused of sexually harassing a woman subordinate.

Natan Eshel entered into a plea bargain admitting “misconduct” in an alleged case of sexually harassing a woman subordinate and will resign, the Justice Ministry said.
Eshel allegedly followed the woman, searched her private emails and snapped photos of her of a sexual nature.

The announcement came after the Civil Services Commission concluded its investigation into allegations that the civil servant harassed a woman staffer, known only as “R”.

According to the plea bargain agreed between Eshel’s attorneys and Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein, the PMO Chief of Staff will admit to charges of damaging civil service discipline and conduct unbecoming of a civil servant.

Eshel is expected to resign from his post within two weeks. The Civil Service Commission’s Disciplinary Court on Sunday approved the agreement. The Attorney General ordered the investigation after Eshel was suspected of harassing and intruding on R’s privacy.

The Civil Service Commission is said to have collected at least 16 testimonies from various individuals, some of which seem to support the allegations against Eshel in a way that cannot be ignored.

R still refuses to testify, let alone file a complaint against Eshel. Weinstein will have to make a decision about how to pursue the case if R does not come forward.