Name and photo of IDF general’s accuser leaked

On Saturday, two days after the Military Advocate General indicted Brig. Gen. Ofek Buchris for rape, sodomy and sexual assault against two female subordinates between 2010 and 2012, the name of one of the complainants was released on Facebook, sparking a firestorm.

Israel has very strict rules against releasing information about alleged victims of sexual assault, rules put in place to protect complainants and encourage them to come forward. Violating them can result in criminal charges.

Reports of the initial allegations against Buchris in March sent shock waves through the IDF and the rest of the country, as Buchris’s previously glowing reputation was suddenly called into question.

According to reports at the time, the first soldier to make allegations told investigators that she knew of another soldier, a Golani officer, who had been sexually assaulted by Buchris as well. Several days later, the second woman came forward and accused Buchris of similar crimes.

The identity of one victim was first posted to the Facebook page “Supporters of Brig. Gen. Ofek Buchris.” It has since been taken down but has been reproduced on several news sites with the name and photo blacked out.

The administrators of the page denied responsibility for the post, and said they had been victimized.

“It is clear that the media was waiting for a moment to also attack us, the steady voice standing against the trampling of his presumption of innocence and the unceasing attacks against Ofek and his family.”

They denied any connection to Buchris or his lawyers.

The post was addressed to the complainant, accusing her of fabricating the accusations against Buchris and alleging that “it was fun [for her] to imagine and dream that a senior officer was so interested [in her].”

Meretz party leader Zehava Galon called for criminal charges to be brought against whoever released the information.

“This is an attempt to deter the complainants and any other possible victims… this could lead to bloodshed against her or other future complainants,” she told Israel Radio.

On Friday Brig. Gen. (res.) Gershon Hacohen, previously Buchris’s commanding officer, came to his defense in an interview with Army Radio, comparing the charges to the biblical story of David and Bathsheba.

“David stayed the King of Israel despite the fact there was no doubt about what he did with Bathsheba,” he said, later clarifying that he meant that nothing Buchris could do would erase his stellar military record.

Galon accused Hacohen of seeking to bring the army back to the days of generals Moshe Dayan and Rehavam Zee’vi. The latter was accused after his death of rape while the former had a reputation as a serial harasser.

Over the past several years the IDF has been trying to stamp out incidents of sexual abuse and harassment.

Israel Radio reported that the alleged victim will file an official complaint with police later Sunday, allowing them to open an investigation.