School Principal Faces Sexual Assault Charges Amid Alleged Witness Tampering in Jaffa

Mohammad Kaboub, principal of the Al-Mustaqbal school in Jaffa, has been indicted on multiple sexual assault charges involving six complainants, including students and teachers, spanning from 2017 to 2024. The indictment, filed at the Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court, accuses Kaboub of repeated indecent acts and sexual harassment, such as inappropriate touching and verbal sexual harassment, exploiting his authority over minors and staff.

The allegations include incidents during a school trip and ongoing misconduct toward four 12th-grade students and two teachers. One teacher described witnessing a colleague visibly distressed after reporting the abuse, while students reported feeling disgusted and powerless to resist due to Kaboub's position. Testimonies also revealed that some complainants initially retracted their statements under pressure but later reaffirmed their original claims.

In addition to Kaboub, his brother Ahmad Kaboub and Ramzi Abu Taleb, chairman of a Jaffa charity committee and member of the Islamic Council, are charged with attempting to obstruct justice. They allegedly coordinated efforts via WhatsApp to intimidate witnesses, persuade complainants to withdraw their accusations, and arrange for false affidavits. Ahmad Kaboub reportedly instructed complainants to sign affidavits denying their police statements and even offered to pay for these documents. Abu Taleb communicated with complainants' families to facilitate this process.

The prosecution presented evidence including testimonies from a Tel Aviv municipality sexual harassment supervisor and a former teacher. The accused brothers are charged with witness tampering and obstruction of justice, with messages indicating attempts to conceal their actions by deleting communications and framing their interference as community service. The case highlights serious allegations of abuse of power and systematic efforts to undermine the investigation.