Deputy Minister Kara denies sexual harassment claims

Ayoub Kara to reportedly be called in for questioning in connection with PMO employee "Samech," says doesn't have contact with female workers.

By LAHAV HARKOV
ayoub kara 311 (photo credit: Courtesy)
ayoub kara 311
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Deputy Regional Development Minister Ayoub Kara (Likud) denied on Tuesday allegations that he sexually harassed an employee of the Prime Minister’s Office.
“We have yet to be officially informed by the police of any investigation,” Kara’s spokesman told The Jerusalem Post. “The deputy minister does not have any direct contact with female workers. Everyone that works with [Kara] is male.”
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The spokesman called the claims against Kara “political assassination” that “will be revealed as nothing but an over-inflated balloon.”
Police confirmed a complaint was launched regarding Kara. The Lahav 433 National Investigation Agency has been tasked with leading the investigation.
On Tuesday morning, “Samech,” the Prime Minister’s Office worker told Army Radio that she complained to the police six months ago about an incident that had occurred two years earlier.
“It’s very difficult to stand up to a public figure, a deputy minister,” she said. “He is part of a major institution, and I am a simple citizen whose rights were taken away. That is why it took me so long to complain.”
Samech added that she is complaining “for every woman, so they will know they have the right to say ‘no.’” Samech reportedly gave the police a detailed list of witnesses, who were interrogated in recent months.
Kara was accused of raping a woman in his office in 2000, but no indictment was issued against him in the case.
Yaakov Lappin and Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.