Gilboa: Fourth female prison guard testifies to sexual assault

The woman came forward earlier in December, revealing the sexual assault she experienced at the hands of Fatah prisoner Muhammad Atallah, allegedly with the help and knowledge of prison guards.

 GILBOA PRISON, in northern Israel near the West Bank.  (photo credit: FLASH90)
GILBOA PRISON, in northern Israel near the West Bank.
(photo credit: FLASH90)

The fourth female prison guard, who served at Gilboa Prison until 2015, testified on Friday morning to the sexual assault she experienced at the hands of Fatah prisoner Muhammad Atallah, Walla journalist Liran Levi reported. 

According to Channel 13's police reporter Omri Maniv, the IDF intelligence commander in charger of her prison placement was Nissim Pinnish. She came forward with the claims earlier in December.

 POLICE OFFICERS and prison guards stand outside the Gilboa jail following the escape by Palestinian security prisoners. (credit: FLASH 90)
POLICE OFFICERS and prison guards stand outside the Gilboa jail following the escape by Palestinian security prisoners. (credit: FLASH 90)

In mid-December, the investigation into what is dubbed the 'pimping affair' was reopened by State Attorney Amit Aisman, following the testimony of warden Freddy Ben Shitrit that thrust the pimping affair into the spotlight after having been largely unnoticed since 2018.

According to the guard, not only did her commanders know about the harassment and did nothing, but that her commander allegedly gave Atallah her phone number after she finished her service in the prison.

She said that Atallah used to touch her while she worked in the security prisoner's ward, and had called her on her personal phone once she left the position, telling her he missed her and knew where she lived. Atallah told her he got her phone number from a prison guard. 

Shira Silkoff contributed to this report.