Israel is investigating alleged misconduct, including sexual harassment, at the Liaison Office in Rabat, Morocco, according to Israeli media sources.
Ministry Inspector General Hagay Behar arrived in Morocco after severe complaints about the functioning of the mission, chaired by David Govrin.
Behar is responsible for investigations in Israeli embassies around the world.
The Israeli Ynet website reported that Behar met with embassy staff last week, and three employees were fired.
The investigation began after serious allegations of mysterious work relations in the office, financial and administrative problems, and sexual allegations.
Three of the dismissed employees were reportedly Moroccan Jews employed in the liaison office as local employees. The fourth member is an Israeli diplomat with Moroccan and French citizenship who resigned and returned to Paris.
The Israeli B channel said the focus of the investigation is the behavior of Govrin, who previously served as Israel’s ambassador to Egypt, adding that due to the suspicions, a delegation of senior officials was rushed to Morocco last week.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry is investigating allegations “about the sexual exploitation of local women” and complaints of sexual harassment within the mission.
The ministry is also investigating the disappearance of a valuable gift sent by the King of Morocco on Israel’s Independence Day.
Such gifts must be registered and turned over to the government, but the item appears to have disappeared with no record.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry is also investigating the involvement of a local businessman, Sami Cohen, in hosting official events for senior Israeli officials.
Cohen held a reception for Yair Lapid, Ayelet Shaked, and Gideon Saar and initiated meetings between them and local officials, even though he was not officially affiliated with the mission.
The team was also investigating a reported feud between Govrin and the mission’s security officer.
