Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji. (Credit: NNA)
A Moroccan woman accused Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji of sexual harassment during his tenure as chargé d'affaires at the Lebanese embassy in Rabat, Morocco, during a transitional period. The accusation surfaced in a video that circulated on social media Tuesday night, a claim Rajji dismissed on Wednesday as an eight-year-old allegation that had been investigated and found to be unsubstantiated.
وزير خارجية القوات اللبنانية يوسف رجي....
— xp² | 🏁 (@xpmov) April 1, 2025
لا تعليق !! pic.twitter.com/NrV3fXbuZg
Rajji responded to the accusations Wednesday after a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Committee in Parliament to which he was invited to present the stance taken by the government of Nawaf Salam on the issue of normalization with Israel, on the diplomatic efforts made to halt Israeli violations of the cease-fire, as well as on the issues of displaced persons and reconstruction, according to the committee's president, Fadi Alameh, the state-run National News Agency reported.
He explained, "The incident occurred eight years ago and lasted only two hours. The Lebanese authorities found the accusations to be unsubstantiated, and the Moroccan authorities handled the matter with seriousness. Had the claims been credible, I would not have remained in my position. I was farewell with respect and confidence upon leaving."
Rajji held various senior positions at the Lebanese embassy in Rabat from 2005 to 2017.
In the video, the woman claimed she frequently visited the Lebanese embassy to obtain a visa for work and accused Rajji of sexual harassment. She also alleged that he had referred to Moroccan women as "prostitutes" and stated, "You travel back to Lebanon and call Moroccan women prostitutes after harassing them." She further called on Moroccan authorities to stop issuing visas to Lebanese nationals seeking to visit Morocco.
Rajji was appointed Foreign Minister in February 2025 as part of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s cabinet, formed amid Lebanon’s ongoing political and economic crises. He was nominated by the Lebanese Forces.
