Israeli Consul in Chicago Sacked for Sexual Harassment

Shafaq News/ The Israeli Civil Servant Disciplinary Court has ordered the immediate dismissal of Michal Keren David, former Israel Consul in Chicago, following her conviction for sexually harassing female subordinates.

According to Ynet, the court sentenced her to forfeit one month's salary, issued a permanent ban from the Foreign Ministry, and imposed an eight-year prohibition from civil service.

In a plea agreement, Keren David confessed to sexually harassing two subordinates, identified as Employee A (born in 2001) and Employee B (born in 2000), between October and December 2021.

Ynet reported that the admission acknowledged a violation of her civil servant contract's provisions for inappropriate behavior. Additionally, she admitted to behaving inappropriately in a sexual manner towards Employee C and Employee D, both under her supervision, from September to December 2021.

Born in 1984, Keren David, a former Foreign Ministry employee, served as Consul for consular affairs and administrative officer in Chicago. She was suspended in April 2022.

The Civil Service Commission investigators and the Foreign Ministry's inspector general traveled to Chicago to interview the affected employees.

Keren David's attorney, Ayala Honigman, noted the difficulty in accepting the plea deal but emphasized her client's desire to start abroad, expressing no interest in returning to the Foreign Ministry and civil service.

During the hearing, Keren David, who devoted 16 years to the country, expressed disappointment in the conduct of Israeli officials. She criticized the ministry's lack of a rigorous examination regarding the consulate's conduct, leading to disciplinary proceedings. She accepted the plea deal to move past the disciplinary proceedings and start afresh.