Illustration
Photo: Gabi Menashe
IDF airman suspected of rape
Soldier serving in administrative capacity accused of raping female soldier on same Air Force base
An IDF airman was arrested by military police Monday on suspicion of raping a female soldier serving with him on the same Air Force base. The Judge Advocate General's office intends to indict him in the upcoming days.
The airman's lawyer claims that the sexual intercourse, which took place in the man's living quarters, was consensual. The military police investigation indicated that the female soldier arrived at the airman's room for a romantic date, which later turned violent.
According to the indictment being prepared, the airman, who serves in an administrative capacity on the base, touched the female soldier under her clothes and kissed her. When she pushed him away, he threw her on the bed and tried to undress her. He then raped her.
The investigation revealed that the airman spoke to other soldiers on the base in order to try and convince them not to go to the military police. As such, he may also be indicted for obstruction of justice.
In the upcoming days, JAG is expected to ask the Air Force court to extend his remand. As stated, the airman will be pleading not guilty. "This is a good soldier, with no criminal record, who will fight for his good name until the end," said his lawyer Michael Carmel.
The incident constitutes a source of great embarrassment for the base, home to a well-known combat squadron and formerly under the command of current Air Force Commander Major-General Eliezer Shkedi.
But this is not the first time allegations of sexual misconduct have been associated with the Air Force. In April 2006, it was cleared for publication that 35 airmen and civilian employees of the force at a base in southern Israel were under suspicion of statutory rape of a 13-year-old girl, over the course of an entire year.
Following that incident, the Air Force issued stricter regulations regarding sexual harassment and sex crimes. Prior to that, a year and a half ago, a pilot was caught peeping into the showers of the women's living quarters on his base.
