The Israeli Foreign Ministry is investigating sexual harassment charges at its Los Angeles consulate.
According to a report by the Israeli news site Ynet, an internal report by the ministry looked into claims that a staffer sexually harassed a colleague.
When threatened with dismissal, the alleged harasser, who is an HIV-positive U.S. citizen, threatened to sue the consulate on the grounds of discrimination.
According to Ynet, ministry officials determined that U.S. juries tend to be sympathetic in such suits, and it could cost the Israeli government millions of dollars. The ministry is currently negotiating with the employee to terminate his employment, it said.
The report also found broader managerial problems in the department, with allegations of verbal abuse of employees by a senior official and resignations over internal conflict. — jta