IDF officer convicted of raping Palestinian woman indicted for attack on reporter

The attack took place at the Military Court of Appeals in the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv after the officer appealed his conviction in March.

The IDF military court in the Kirya military headquarters (photo credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/MAARIV)
The IDF military court in the Kirya military headquarters
(photo credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/MAARIV)

An IDF officer, imprisoned for raping a Palestinian woman during his service, was indicted on Tuesday, along with his brother, for assaulting a reporter during a military court hearing in March, Ynet reported.

The Civil Administration officer, whose identity is under a gag order, was sentenced in 2017 to 11 years in prison for raping a Palestinian woman, sexual harassment, taking sexual bribes, fraud, breach of trust and abusing authority to the point of endangering national security.

The attack took place at the Military Court of Appeals in the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv after the officer appealed his conviction in March.

Following the conclusion of the appeal hearing, the reporter attempted to film the disgraced officer, who, along with his brother who is also an IDF officer, forcefully snatched the reporter's phone.

After the prisoner's brother verbally assaulted and threatened the reporter and his attorney, he passed the phone to the imprisoned officer, who smashed it into the ground and proceeded to stomp on it until it was no longer usable.

"I am a prisoner, I have nothing to lose," the officer reportedly shouted towards IDF security forces who arrived at the scene to apprehend him and his brother after the attack on the reporter, who was lightly injured.

The IDF military court in the Kirya military headquarters (credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/MAARIV)
The IDF military court in the Kirya military headquarters (credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/MAARIV)

The officer, who was removed from the IDF following his conviction, has since had his removal overturned and has been readmitted into the Israeli military as a private.

The IDF Spokesperson's Unit released a statement on the attack back in March, stating it to be an "unusual and serious violent incident which will be investigated accordingly."