Major-General Yizthak Brick
Photo: Gil Yohanan
IDF ombudsman submits annual report
Military Complaints Commissioner heard 6,289 grievances in 2010. Over 50% found with merit
IDF Ombudsman Major-General Yizthak Brick submitted his annual report to IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant-General Benny Gantz Wednesday.
The report noted that a total of 6,289 complaints were filed against IDF officers in 2010, more than half of which were deemed justified.
Over all, 2010 saw an excess of 189 in complaints compared to 2009.
The IDF Soldiers' Complaints Commissioner further noted that one third of all complaints pertained to commander-subordinate relations; and that social networks such as Facebook were places where IDF procedures were often violated.
Brick's report found that 60% of the complaints involving commander-subordinate relations were filed by soldiers performing their mandatory service and 9.5% were filed by cadets and IDF candidates.
A third of the complaints involved inappropriate language, conduct and overly-strict attitude, and some 10% of the complaints focused on medical negligence.
The IDF Ombudsman ruled that IDF officers were obligated by the military's code of conduct and ethic both on and off duty. Any violation of the codex could not be tolerated and must be rectified, he said.
An IDF Spokesperson’s statement said that "Lieutenant-General Benny Gantz has tasked Deputy Chief of Staff Yair Naveh with addressing the issues mentioned in the report.
"Last week, Gantz met with the IDF Ombudsman and reviewed the report's main points… The IDF chief acknowledges that the Complaints Commissioner is a powerful, influential and pivotal tool to improve the IDF's treatment of servicemen performing mandatory and regular service, as well as cadets and reservists."
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