Israeli Minister Quits Over Sex Charges
Israel’s transportation minister quit Sunday in light of sexual assault and harassment charges filed by three former subordinates.
The resignation of Yitzhak Mordechai, a former defense minister and highly decorated army officer, was expected to hamper Prime Minister Ehud Barak’s efforts to pull his coalition together after two partners threatened to resign in protest of the government’s peace policies.
Mordechai’s resignation will take effect Tuesday, Barak’s office announced.
Mordechai will continue to serve as a member of the Knesset, or parliament, but he also resigned the leadership of the moderate Center Party, a party spokesman said.
The resignation came two days after Atty. Gen. Elyakim Rubinstein announced that Mordechai will face charges. The charges center on accusations by a former employee that on Feb. 25 Mordechai shoved her onto a couch and put his hand under her shirt.
After the accusations were made public, two other women came forward with accounts of unwanted sexual advances by Mordechai.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
