"Yediot Ahronot": Allow disclosure of details related to the case "driving" Guards for Palestinian prisoners

The Yediot Ahronot newspaper reported that Israeli police were investigating the suspicion that a Palestinian prisoner had committed serious sexual offenses against a female conscript who worked as a guard in the prison where he was serving his sentence.

An Israeli newspaper reported that the Lod District Court today, Monday, allowed the publication of the details of the case, noting that police and prosecutors recently received information about serious sexual offenses committed by the prisoner, but the court prevented the publication of his name, as the investigation is still ongoing. .

Lawyer Keren Barak, who represents the women in the case, said: “I have been following this serious case closely for several years. This is one of the worst events that has happened in Israel to female soldiers and prison guards in the IDF. The state must support, re-educate them and recognize the harm they have caused.”

Yediot reported that the “pimp in prison” case is based on a number of cases that allegedly occurred in Gilboa Prison between 2014 and 2017.

On July 6, Israeli Public Security Minister Omer Bar-Lev agreed to fire a prison guard over allegations that he had “taken female guards from Gilboa Prison to Palestinian prisoners a few years ago to satisfy the prisoners.”

Female recruits first claimed in 2018 that they were forced into close contact with captives as a bargaining chip for sexual negotiations, leading to harassment and assault, but the case was dropped due to lack of evidence.

In December last year, the head of the Israel Prison Service, Katy Perry, filed a case for removal from prison intelligence officer Rani Pasha, who was involved in the case. Prosecutors also ordered the police to reopen the investigation.

One of the female soldiers told the Walla news site that she and other female guards were sexually assaulted by a Palestinian prisoner named Muhammad Atallah.

A female soldier came forward and said that she was ordered to escort Atalla around the facility, which gave him the opportunity to attack her, including by touching her, while her superiors turned a blind eye. the work of prison staff.

The guards claimed that the prison administration knew about the abuse and covered it up until the media broke the case in June 2018.

In October 2021, the army and the Department of Defense formed a special team to study the conditions of service of conscripts in non-military units to ensure their suitability. Last month, his findings and recommendations were presented to the Knesset Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense.

Source: Yediot Ahronot + Times of Israel

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