All Netanyahu's Men: The aides who resigned in scandal
David Keyes is most definitely not the first Netanyahu associate to become involved in suspicious, or even criminal, activity.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFBenjamin Netanyahu(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
International media spokesman David Keyes, who took a leave of absence Thursday over sexual misconduct allegations, is just one of many aides to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who have resigned in recent years over sexual harassment and corruption allegations.Natan EshelEshel was Netanyahu's right-hand man - a chief of staff who also had the trust of the prime minister's family. He was forced to resign in 2012 and commit to never working in public service again, as part of a plea deal in which he admitted to inappropriate workplace behavior, but not to the sexual harassment of which he was accused. R, a woman working in the Prime Minister's Office, testified that Eshel had taken sexual photos up her skirt, intimidated her, read her private e-mails followed her around. The case led to the resignation of three senior officials in the PMO who took their complaints about Eshel to the Civil Service Administration.Gil SheferShefer, Netanyahu's former chief of staff, resigned in 2017 in light of an investigation into allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman in his car while he was giving her a ride home. Prosecutors closed the case, citing insufficient evidence.Ari HarowHarow was another Netanyahu chief of staff, working in his office since 2007. Harow's name was associated with Case 2000 of corruption charges regarding Yediot Aharonot; allegedly, Harow was the one who taped the meetings between his boss and Yediot Aharonot publisher Arnon Mozes. In 2017, Harow agreed to turn state witness and give evidence against Netanyahu.Yitzhak Molcho and David ShimronFrom Case 2000 to Case 3000 - Netanyahu's most trusted legal advisor Yitzhak Molcho played a large, mostly clandestine part in Israel's diplomacy during Netanyahu's term in office. He was his special envoy and chief negotiator in dealing with the Palestinians. But in July of 2017, Molcho was suspected of breach of trust violations for allegedly using his clout with Netanyahu to benefit his business partner and another suspect in the case, Netanyahu's lawyer David Shimron, during the submarine scandal.Nir HefetzHefetz was Netanyahu's top communications aide, and was taken for interrogation right alongside him in Case 4000, "the Bezeq Affair". After two weeks of detainment in jail, Hefetz decided to turn state witness and testify against Netanyahu and his wife, Sara.Perach LernerPerach Lerner, the first female on this list, is married to Avi Lerner who runs a PR agency representing the Likud and pro-Netanyahu newspaper Israel Hayom. In 2015, the police initiated a probe against her, following evidence of conflict of interests, fraud, bribery and breach of trust. In 2017 she reached a settlement with the State Attorney and was suspended from holding a public position.
