Govrin back as head of Israeli liaison office in Morocco

On Jul 10, 2023

After being recalled in September 2022 owing to claims of sexual harassment, David Govrin, the former head of the Israeli liaison office in Rabat, has now formally taken up his old position.

Following an investigation in Israel, Govrin has been exonerated of all accusations.

On Twitter over the weekend, Govrin announced his return to his position as the head of the Israeli liaison office in Rabat, expressing his joy and commitment to once again fortify and improve bilateral ties.

“Don’t cheer for lies if you can’t express the truth. In a tweet that was accompanied by a picture of himself and his wife grinning, Govrin stated, “I am thrilled to return to my second home, Morocco, to accomplish my noble tasks aimed at deepening and valorizing the ties between our two countries.

*إن لم تستطع قول الحق فلا تصفق للباطل*.
أنا جد سعيد بالعودة إلى بلدي الثاني المغرب الغالي لإتمام مهامي النبيلة التي تسعى لتقوية وتثمين الروابط بين الدولتين 🇲🇦🇮🇱 pic.twitter.com/NXgp6jwmfX

— Dr. David Govrin (@DavidGovrin) July 9, 2023

In response to accusations of sexual harassment, corruption, and favoritism, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs chose to summon Govrin on Tuesday, September 6, 2022.

Additionally, he was suspected of giving a friend permission to plan diplomatic gatherings even though she had no official title within the liaison office.

Govrin had previously denied these accusations on his Twitter account.

Shai Cohen, the head of the Israeli liaison office in Rabat, made the announcement about Govrin’s return during a news conference scheduled to mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the Israeli state.

Cohen noted that the relationship between Morocco and Israel is founded on ongoing diplomatic cooperation and is not dependent on any particular individuals.

Govrin’s duties were temporarily taken over by Shai Cohen and Alona Fisher Kamm, a former ambassador to Serbia.

An important step has been taken in the ongoing diplomatic relationship between the two countries with the news of his return.

David Govrin has held a number of Middle East-related roles in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in addition to serving as Israel’s ambassador to Egypt. After Rabat and Tel Aviv resumed diplomatic ties in February 2021, he was appointed to his position in Morocco.