Israel's deputy PM resigns amid sexual assault allegations

Israeli Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Silvan Shalom on Sunday announced his resignation from politics amid sexual assault accusations against him.

Shalom, a veteran politician in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party, said he decided to retire due to the "agony" he and his family have been suffering amid a string of accusations against him in the past week.

"I have been devoted to serving the public as a member of parliament and minister in the past 23 years with a sense of mission and in order to promote social goals," Shalom said in a statement on Sunday evening.

"I have grown tired of the agony that my family and I had to put up with, and under these circumstances, I have decided to retire from my roles as minister and as a parliament member," he added.

The first complaint against Shalom was leveled last year by an ex-worker, referring to acts that took place 15 years ago. Shalom retired from the presidential race, but no further action was sought out against him.

New allegations came to light last week, as the Ha'aretz daily reported the testimony of a former employee who said she had suffered ongoing harassments by Shalom for over a year.

Soon thereafter, at least seven other women complained of sexual misconduct and harassment in various media outlets.

Israel's Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein conducted an inquiry into the accusations last week in order to decide whether a criminal investigation is in place.

Shalom started his political career in 1985 in the Likud party as a ministerial adviser, and became a lawmaker in 1992.

In the past twenty years, he served, among others, as foreign minister, finance chief, minister of science and technology, as well as deputy prime minister. Endit