Israel's interior minister resigns over sexual harassment allegations

Tel Aviv: Israel`s Interior Minister Silvan Shalom on Monday announced his resignation after he was accused of sexual harassment last week.

"For 23 years, I have devotedly and faithfully served the public as a Knesset (parliament) member and in various ministries out of a sense of mission and willingness to promote the most important social and public aims," said Shalom, a member of the conservative Likud party.

"I am weary of the trials being faced by me... In these circumstances, I have decided to resign," Efe news quoted Shalom as saying.

The allegations came in the open last week when a former employee of Shalom`s office claimed she had been sexually harassed by him, following which three more women stepped forward with similar allegations, although they have not lodged any formal complaints yet.

Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein has ordered an in-depth police investigation into the allegations.