Gantz demanded women stop serving as guards for Palestinian security prisoners pending investigation of Pimping Affair allegations.
Defense Minister Benny Gantz has called for the immediate ban of female soldiers guarding Palestinian security prisoners after another woman who served at Gilboa Prison came forward to say she was raped during her military service there.
In a letter to Interior Minister Omer Bar-Lev, Gantz demanded that women stop serving in that capacity immediately pending an in-depth investigation of the allegations.
According to a statement by Gantz’s office, he “intends to re-examine the continued placement of soldiers and career officers in the Israel Prison Services, given that their job is to deal directly with security prisoners.”
“I felt like a piece of meat.”
Israeli guard, HIla
In his letter, Gantz said that dealing with Palestinian security prisoners “requires adequate and comprehensive training” and that “therefore it is necessary to consider whether this role should be performed by employees not assigned by the IDF.”
He also said that the conditions in which they serve must be examined, including to maintain their safety.
“In light of the above, I would ask you to immediately prohibit the soldiers in the prison service from being placed with security prisoners until a comprehensive and thorough investigation of the issue,” Gantz wrote, adding “we are obligated to act together and do everything possible to ensure the personal safety of all the soldiers, regardless of who they are.
Accordingly, I instructed officials in the Defense Ministry and the IDF to examine, together with officials of the Internal Security Ministry, the order allowing the placing of drafted soldiers into the Israel Prison Services.”
“Unthinkable” rape of soldier by terrorist
On Thursday, a woman who identified herself by the alias Hila told Yediot Aharont that she had been repeatedly raped by Mahmoud Atallah, a Palestinian convicted of murdering Israelis and that he had enjoyed special privileges from prison authorities.
“I felt like a piece of meat, as if I was undressed by the inmates,” she was quoted, adding that “the staff would joke about Atallah being horny and a sexual deviant. It was common knowledge and the staff would laugh about it.”
She is the latest woman to come forward accusing Atallah of sexual violence. Last year Gilboa Prison commander Freddy Ben Sheetrit said that female IDF soldiers serving at the prison were sexually harassed regularly by Palestinian security prisoners at the high-security prison.
Following her allegations, Bar-Lev said that he would pursue an investigation despite four years having passed.
Urging others to come forward, Bar-Lev said that those involved in a cover-up would be dismissed, calling it a “dereliction of duty that cannot repeat itself.”
On Sunday Prime Minister Yair Lapid said that it was “unthinkable” that an IDF soldier was raped during her military service and that he had spoken with Bar-Lev and Israel Prison Services warden Katy Perry.
According to Lapid, the two presented steps that will be taken to “make sure that this doesn’t happen again.”