JERUSALEM (JTA) — An Israeli general was questioned for six hours over accusations that he raped one female soldier under his command, then was accused of sexually harassing another soldier.
Wednesday’s questioning was the second time that Brig.-Gen. Ofek Buchris has been questioned by police over the first accusation, according to Israeli media reports.
The second woman came forward later in the day to accuse Buchris of sexually harassment during her army service.
Buchris, whose name was ordered released Wednesday night by the military court in Tel Aviv, was suspended from his position earlier this week over the rape accusation. Following the release of the general’s name, the first victim’s father called for other women to come forward.
Buchris was in line for a promotion and was on a shortlist of potential IDF chief-of-staff candidates down the line, The Jerusalem Post reported.
He reportedly took and passed two privately funded polygraph tests.
The general served from 2010 to 2012 as commander of the Golani Brigade; it was during this time that he is suspected of having raped and sexually abused the first soldier. As battalion commander in Golani, he was critically injured during Operation Defensive Shield in 2002 and was awarded a citation for his bravery by the IDF chief of staff.
