Caracal commander dismissed amid sexual misconduct investigation

The commander of the IDF's first mixed-gender Caracal Battalion, Lt. Col. Elad Cohen, was dismissed by GOC Southern Command Maj. Gen. Eyal Zamir on Wednesday following a military police investigation into allegations that he abused his position of authority to gain sexual favors

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Zamir initially suspended Cohen for 30 days in light of the investigation into the claims of consensual inappropriate relations.

Lt. Col. Elad Cohen (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

Cohen was due to complete his tenure as battalion commander in the coming weeks, regardless of the charges and investigation.

The investigation is expected to center around Cohen's relations with a female officer under his command. According to the initial investigation conducted by the IDF's Criminal Investigations Department (CID), the relationship was consensual.

The relations between Cohen—a married man and father—and the unnamed female officer became a sort of open secret in the battalion that is currently in charge of security on the border with Egypt.

According to sources serving in the battalion, rumors of the relationship reached both officers and NCOs in the battalion weeks ago. CID officials are investigating suspicions the two even engaged in relations at the battalion's headquarters as well.

Cohen was featured in a Ynet article in February on the subject of the mixed-gender combat battalion and remarked, "I remember that in my first week as battalion commander of Caracal, we conducted an exercise in open ground. I turned around and saw a female fighter with a grenade launcher hit a bull's-eye at 200 meters.

"I saw different modes of thinking and calmness from our female commanders. They are opinionated, whether you like it or not. It's positive chutzpah and I really appreciate it compared to someone who will always tell me 'yes' like a dog."