Opposition MK Karin Elharrar (Yesh Atid) is calling on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to dismiss his ambassador to Washington for failing to report sexual assault allegations against a top Netanyahu aide.
Elharrar said Sunday that Ron Dermer should be recalled for not reporting warnings he received about David Keyes, Netanyahu's foreign media spokesman.
Julia Salazar, a candidate for New York's state senate, has accused Keyes of sexually assaulting her five years ago. Wall Street Journal reporter Shayndi Raice tweeted that she, too, had a "terrible encounter" with Keyes, and at least a dozen other women have since come forward.
On Thursday, The New York Times reported that former opinion editor at The Wall Street Journal Bret Stephens had barred Keyes from entering the office in 2013 after the latter reportedly propositioned female members of his staff on a number of occasions.
According to the report, Stephens reprimanded Keyes for his behavior, calling him a "disgrace to men" and "a disgrace as a Jew."
Stephens said he contacted Dermer in November of 2016 to warn him about the risk Keyes posed to female government employees after an Israeli reporter inquired about him. Dermer confirmed he was warned about Keyes, but did not consider the harassment allegations criminal.
Keyes denies the allegations, saying all "are deeply misleading and many of them are categorically false."
On Friday, Keyes announced he would be taking a leave of absence from his position.
"In order not to distract from the important work of the prime minister, I have asked to take time off to clear my name. I am fully confident that the truth will come out," Keyes said.
