Magen David Adom medic suspected of sexually assaulting coworkers
Eliran Bakalo, 50, accused of assaulting two girls, raping woman; police suspect there may be additional victims
A court on Monday extended the remand of a volunteer with Magen David Adom who was arrested on suspicion of raping and sexually assaulting teenage girls who also volunteer with the emergency service.
Eliran Bakalo, 50, who works for the Holon municipality, is suspected of carrying out the assaults over a number of years while also volunteering for MDA, where he was a senior emergency medic.
Bakalo was arrested last week, and his custody was extended on Friday. The Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court ordered that he be detained for another five days while the investigation continues.
There are at least three complainants against him — two teenage girls and one young woman of around 20. One of the teenagers is under the age of 16.
He is suspected of threats, rape, an indecent act against a minor, an indecent act, and sexual harassment.
Among the suspicions is that Bakalo raped one of the alleged victims at gunpoint with a licensed pistol he holds.
“He threatened me with a gun and raped me,” the alleged victims said in a Channel 12 report that did not specify when she made the remarks. “We were afraid of him because he had a strong standing in MDA.”
An investigation was opened last week after MDA lodged a sexual assault complaint with police. Officers called in one of the alleged victims, who is under the age of 16, to give testimony, and she later filed a complaint, Ynet reported.
The investigation led to another teen and a woman in her 20s, who both filed complaints with police.
Bakalo first began working at MDA in 2013, and police believe he may have harassed victims over a number of years.
Bakalo denies all the accusations against him. His attorney Ran Tagar told the court that one of those who filed a complaint had an argument with his client and threatened that she would get revenge, but sent a message of apology “for what she did to him.”
Tagar said that Bakalo was cooperating with investigators, including providing them with his cellphone and its password, claiming it contains text conversations that support his account.
He also asked to undergo a polygraph test, or a confrontation with the alleged victims, though no decision has yet been made on those steps, Ynet reported.
MDA said in a statement that “immediately after the information [of alleged assault] was received, the volunteer was suspended from all activity in the organization and it was reported to law enforcement authorities.”
MDA said that it has a “zero-tolerance attitude toward sexual harassment.”
The Times of Israel Community.