IDF suspends senior officer after 6 women allege sexual harassment

A lieutenant colonel serving in a sensitive post in the IDF’s Northern Command has been suspended from his duties for two weeks while military police investigate six sexual harassment and possible assault complaints against him.

According to Army Radio, which broke the story on Sunday, six women under the officer’s command, both officers and enlisted soldiers, have filed formal complaints with the Military Police investigations division alleging that the officer had made sexually suggestive comments to them on many occasions and, according to several of the complainants, had touched them inappropriately without their consent.

The officer was questioned by investigators last week.

He was suspended for an initial inquiry period of two weeks, Army Radio reported, but is expected to be removed from his duties for longer as the investigation progresses.

In a statement to The Times of Israel, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit confirmed the existence of the complaints. The statement read: “Last week, Northern Command Chief of Staff Brig. Gen. Asher Ben-Lulu suspended an officer for 14 days due to the opening of a Military Police investigation of suspected sexual harassment and behavior unbefitting an officer. The investigation continues. Decisions regarding the officer will be taken at a later date in accordance with the findings of the investigation.”

There is a gag order on the officer’s identity, in keeping with rules related to officers under investigation.

According to his attorneys, which include the army’s top defense lawyer, Col. Asher Halperin, the officer was “surprised” by the complaints and denies them strenuously. His remarks or actions were never sexual in intent, nor did he mean to cause the accusers harm, he said, according to the Army Radio report. He has never been the subject of a similar complaint in his career, and is cooperating fully with investigators, according to his attorneys.

The IDF has seen a spike in harassment complaints in recent weeks following the global #MeToo campaign of women and men coming forward to reveal their experiences of harassment and assault, often at the hands of powerful men.

The campaign began with revelations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, but soon grew to encompass many well-known alleged predators. In Israel, accusations have been leveled at radio host Gabi Gazit, television executive Alex Gilady and others.

According to Army Radio, the lieutenant colonel is the fourth senior officer to face accusations of harassment from women under his command in the last month.