Israeli Journalist Dan Margalit Accused Of Sexual Misconduct By 7 Women
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
JERUSALEM (JTA) — At least seven women have accused long-time Israeli journalist Dan Margalit of sexual harassment and sexual assault.
Five of the women came forward about Margalit, who started his journalism career in the 70s with the Haaretz newspaper and currently serves as one of the newspaper’s columnists, in an article Tuesday in Haaretz. Two more women came forward on Thursday.
Most of the women were young journalists when the incidents occurred, and friends who they told about the encounters at the time that they took place have confirmed the stories. At least two of the women took polygraph tests at Haaretz’ behest, and were found to be speaking truthfully.
In a statement to Haaretz, Margalit, 80, denied the accusations. “There is nothing to these claims about incidents that allegedly happened more than 30 years ago. I don’t intend to devote my remaining years to an argument that has no chance at this moment, given the prevailing mood,” he wrote in the statement.
Margalit in 1977 while serving as the Washington DC correspondent for Haaretz broke the story of Leah Rabin’s United States bank account, which was illegal at the time and which led to Rabin’s resignation.
Why I became the Forward’s Editor-in-Chief
You are surely a friend of the Forward if you’re reading this. And so it’s with excitement and awe — of all that the Forward is, was, and will be — that I introduce myself to you as the Forward’s newest editor-in-chief.
And what a time to step into the leadership of this storied Jewish institution! For 129 years, the Forward has shaped and told the American Jewish story. I’m stepping in at an intense time for Jews the world over. We urgently need the Forward’s courageous, unflinching journalism — not only as a source of reliable information, but to provide inspiration, healing and hope.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
