Israeli Gynecologist Sentenced to 14 Years for Sexual Assaults

A Tel Aviv court has sentenced senior gynecologist Professor Menachem Elkalai to 14 years in prison for committing sexual offenses against nine patients. The court convicted Elkalai in June on ten counts of fraud-related rape and sodomy, with victims ranging from 23 to 66 years old at the time of the assaults. Judges determined that Elkalai exploited the trust placed in him by his patients, creating a false impression that his actions were part of legitimate medical procedures.

Elkalai, an expert in urogynecology, was found to have knowingly and drastically deviated from standard gynecological and urogynecological examination protocols. Evidence presented, including expert testimony from Israel and abroad, established that his prolonged clitoral massage had no connection to any legitimate medical procedure. He was found to have acted fraudulently, using the guise of a medical examination to exploit his patients' trust.

The investigation into Elkalai began after more than 35 women shared their experiences of sexual abuse by him during medical examinations, as revealed in an Ynet investigation. Twenty complaints were filed with the police, leading to his suspension from the Sheba Medical Center, though he continued to see patients privately. The indictment, filed in August 2023, detailed how Elkalai abused his position and his patients' physical vulnerability to commit the offenses.

In addition to his role at Sheba, Elkalai also held a position at Poriya Hospital and maintained private clinics in Modi'in and Ramat Gan. The court recommended that the Ministry of Health consider implementing a policy for the presence of a third-party chaperone during gynecological exams to ensure patient safety and protection. This sentencing follows an earlier administrative decision in October, where the Jerusalem District Court upheld the Ministry of Health's decision to suspend Elkalai's medical license pending the legal proceedings.