Israeli Forces Admits Officer Jailed in 2017 Raped a Palestinian Woman

According to the Times of Israel, the Israeli officer imprisoned since 2017 was admittedly convicted of raping a Palestinian woman. He also committed sexual assault against other Palestinian women and a man and forcing them for sexual favors, among other crimes. A military court permitted news outlets to report on Wednesday, ending a years-long gag order on the case. 

The Israel Defense Forces’ Court of appeals decided to rescind the gag order on the affair, which was considered to have potentially serious security ramifications due to its dramatic nature, following an appeal by the Ynet news site and years of legal battles. In a statement, the military said the gag order had been deemed necessary, in part, to preserve national security.

The officer, whose name remains barred from publication, served in the Defense Ministry’s Civil Administration, which is tasked with overseeing the day-to-day management of the West Bank. The officer, a major, was responsible for issuing permits for Palestinians to enter and work in Israel, a position of power that he repeatedly exploited to receive sexual favors from Palestinians.