Illustration photo
Photo: Gabi Menashe
Men convicted of assaulting female soldier get community service
In 2005 soldiers from elite IDF unit sexually assaulted female soldier in Eilat hotel room; charge reduced from rape in framework of plea bargain
Three men convicted of sexually assaulting a female IDF soldier in 2005 were sentenced by the Beer Sheva District Court Wednesday to community service and a NIS 50,000 fine ($12,180) each.
The charge was reduced from rape in the framework of a plea bargain.
The men, Ben Berger, Moshe Saadon and Adir Oknin served in an elite IDF unit at the time of the incident. They were vacationing in Eilat when one of them met the female soldier and invited her to his hotel room.
According to the complainant, the soldier and two of his friends then sexually assaulted her while another friend, who was later charged with failing to prevent a crime, looked on.
During their investigation the soldiers claimed the sex was consensual.
In addition to community service the defendants were ordered to pay the female soldier NIS 150,000 ($37,000) in compensation and were also given a suspended sentence.
