David Govrin Responds to Sexual Misconduct Allegations on Twitter

Rabat - David Govrin, the now recalled Israeli envoy to Rabat, has responded to allegations of sexual misconduct on his Twitter account, calling them “false allegations and slander.”

“These baseless and misleading rumors, which are being promoted by stakeholders regarding sexual harassment, are merely complete fabrications,” the Israeli diplomat said on his Twitter account.

“This is slander that was fabricated to personally offend me and harm my relations with the Kingdom’s officials,” he continued. “I will not allow that.”

Govrin’s tweets come following a letter on Monday by his lawyer Droro Matisyahu, who also claimed that the allegations against the Israeli diplomat were due to a personal feud with Ran Metzuyanim, the chief security officer of Israel’s Liaison Office In Rabat.

Matisyahu’s letter, which was addressed to Israel’s Foreign Ministry, notably argued that the sexual offense and office misbehavior allegations against Govrin originated from an official acting out of revenge to harm him, The Times of Israel reported on Monday.

As the allegations of sexual misconduct were made by “by a fictitious woman,” the letter claimed, Govrin has maintained that he “had no intention of dealing with a claim that had not been made to him, about an unknown issue.”

Govrin was recalled earlier this month to Israel following reports that he was facing allegations of sexual misconduct and inappropriate workplace behavior. The Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (KAN), which broke the news, said Israel’s Foreign Ministry had received “incriminating testimony” against Govrin.

The case remains under investigation as of press time, but while details are subject to speculation, Israeli media are reporting that Govrin’s potential return to Rabat remains in doubt.

The allegations of Govrin’s exploitation of the Moroccan women employed by the Rabat Liaison Office also sparked protests against both the now recalled Israeli envoy and Israeli presence in Morocco.

Since the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, various civil society groups and political parties in Morocco have protested the warming bilateral partnership, describing it as a betrayal of the Palestinian cause.