Israel Police arrested the mayor of Harish, Yitzhak Keshet, on suspicion of committing sexual offenses, obstruction of justice, and breach of trust, the police said on Monday.
He is expected to be brought before the Haifa Magistrate's Court to request an extended detention.
According to allegations, the Keshet sexually assaulted and harmed several women, some of whom worked with him in the municipality, exploiting his position of power.
The undercover investigation was conducted over several months by the Lahav 433 National Fraud Investigations Unit. With the case now made public, Keshet was arrested and brought in for questioning by Lahav 433 investigators, who also detained additional individuals.
In an investigative report, a woman identified as ‘S’ recounted what she experienced.
“He pulled me toward him and said things were very difficult at home and that he needed a hug, touch, warmth. Then he started kissing and touching me. I pushed him away and told him, ‘I’m married. This is not appropriate.'”
She explained that he asked her to perform a sexual act on him, and that he was too strong to be pushed off her.
“It was disgusting and repulsive,” she said.
“Afterward, I just left and vomited. I hated myself. I drove home and cried. I tried to imagine it happened to someone else, not me—because I’m a strong woman. This shouldn’t happen to me.”
‘S’ managed to recover some of the messages the mayor allegedly sent her after deleting them, telling her how he felt during the act.
“It happened again and again,” she added. “I would tell him I didn’t want to, and he’d say, ‘Just a little,’ and then touch my chest.”
The mayor encouraged the investigation to reveal the truth
In response to the investigative report published in March, Keshet publicly urged the complainants to file a police complaint to trigger an investigation.
“In recent days, I’ve personally learned how quickly the reality we thought was solid can become distorted,” he wrote on Facebook.
“That’s exactly why I’m calling on the anonymous interviewees to file an official complaint that will lead to an immediate and independent investigation of the allegations against me. I fully believe the truth will come to light—and that revealing it is a basic right that must be available to everyone. Lies will never stand against the power of truth and facts.”
The mayor accused opposition members of being behind the report, adding that he would commit to “full transparency—from a polygraph test to any other legal process—to refute the lies and prove the truth.”
“As for the opposition figures who circled like vultures around prey and made clear that for them, harming a home, a family, and children in Israel is a legitimate political tool—I will not elaborate. This is a moral low I will never cross,” he added.
After the report’s publication, the organization Building an Alternative (Bonot Alternativa) protested against the mayor for the alleged sexual harassment.
“Dozens of local residents came out for a powerful demonstration in the city square,” the organization said.
“During the protest, many drivers honked in support. There is nothing more amazing than seeing a civic awakening for a better society, one that protects women. We are here. We’re not going anywhere. We believe you.”