The Military Court in Haifa on Sunday authorized a plea bargain under which an Israel Navy officer who made sexist remarks to female cadets was convicted of behavior unbecoming an officer rather than sexual harassment.
The court sentenced the officer to two weeks detention in a military facility and handed him a three-month suspended sentence. He was also slapped with a NIS 500 ($133) fine.
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The court also recommended that he not be promoted. However, the officer will be able to continue serving in the IDF .
According to the indictment, on October 2010 the officer made sexist remarks to female cadets on a number of occasions. The officer, who was a cadet in an officer preparatory course at the time, also asked female cadets embarrassing questions of a sexual nature.
"The comments addressing the appearance and intimate body parts of the female cadets are despicable and turn the women into sexual objects," the judges determined. "Such comments also violate the women's privacy and create an uncomfortable atmosphere."
However, in their ruling the judges took into account that the officer had no criminal record and was considered a "professional and talented" officer by his commanders.
In an opinion submitted to the court, the commanders further said that the officer was involved in "major projects within the Navy."