Israeli journalist claims former PM Olmert sexually assaulted her

Speaking at a panel held on Saturday, journalist Hadas Shtaif claimed the former Israeli leader attempted to force himself on her.

By MAARIV ONLINE
Updated: NOVEMBER 18, 2017 16:09
Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert leaves Tel Aviv District Court, May 13, 2014 (photo credit: REUTERS)
Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert leaves Tel Aviv District Court, May 13, 2014
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Israeli journalist Hadas Shtaif claimed during a panel held in Ness Ziona on Saturday that former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert sexually assaulted her. Olmert has denied any wrongdoing.
Shtaif claimed that she was “pinned to the wall” by the former prime minister when he attended a studio interview for Israel Public Television. The timing of the alleged attack was not mentioned.
“He pinned me to the wall and whispered in my ear with his disgusting tongue,” said Shtaif. “I pushed him off me right away.”
Shtaif wrote on her Twitter account that “it’s all true, I spoke [about this event] in real time to many people. I was disgusted and did not forget.”
She added that she was willing to pay the personal cost of coming out with the accusation "for the future generations of women."

She added that her sister prevented her from filing a complaint after the event against Olmert. She also added that she believes “all the women who dare to come out and speak, even after 30 years.”
“We are in the middle of a revolution,” wrote the journalist, “for our girls and boys, granddaughters and grandchildren.”
Olmert denies ever coming within “one meter” of Shtaif and said that the incident never took place.
The former prime minister was released from prison in June after spending 16 months behind bars for a series of corruption convictions that included fraud, bribery and obstruction of justice.

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It was initially reported that the state prosecution would appeal the decision, but it declined to do so, allowing Olmert to end his prison term earlier than expected.