7 apr 2015
Eran Nagauker claims he didn't call police's emergency call center to report Niv Asraf missing, while police officials say recording of call to be presented in court.
Eran Nagauker, who is suspected of helping Niv Asraf stage his own kidnapping in the West Bank, denied having called the police to report his friend was missing, but police said Tuesday it had a recording of the call.
The recording, police said, will be presented in court on Sunday when the two are to be indicted.
Police sources revealed details from the recorded call to Ynet, a conversation Nagauker claims never happened. According to the police sources, Nagauker is heard talking to a police phone receptionist, stating his first name and saying he and his friend went to Kiryat Arba to pray, but got stuck on their way due to a flat tire.
Late in the recording, Nagauker can be heard saying his friend left to get a wheel wrench to replace the flat tire from one of the nearby villages, but has yet to return, half an hour later. The police receptionist is heard asking Nagauker whether his friend has a cell phone so it can be used to locate him, and Nagauker responding the phone was left in the car.
Later, police said, Nagauker pointed to the village of Bayt Einun as the place his friend was headed to. The recording starts with the words, "Hello, this is the police, (name of receptionist) speaking," which indicates this was an incoming call to the police's emergency call center. In interviews given to the media, however, Nagauker told a different version. "I never dialed the police," he told Ynet. "I saw a policeman and I approached him. I told him I couldn't find my friend." Nagauker made similar comments in other press interviews.
Attorney Itay Yitzhak, who represents Nagauker, said in response to the police's claims about the call's recording that his client never lied and that the recording is of a different call in which the police contacted Nagauker. "We didn't say there wasn't a call to police, just that he didn't initiate the call," Attorney Yitzhak said. "He didn't call the police, the police called him, and then he said the aforementioned things. He saw a policeman in the area, told him he didn't know where his friends was, the policeman got his details and they called him."
Police rejected Attorney Yitzhak's claims, insisting Nagauker did indeed call police. "The two (Nagauker and Asraf) won't stop lying and changing versions," officials familiar with the investigation said. "All of the versions they gave were carefully examined during the investigation and many contradictions were found." These officials said Asraf and Nagauker's different claims were examined, among other things, using testimonies given by many associates of the two suspects.
The search for Asraf started on Thursday afternoon after Nagauker turned to the police and reported his friend missing. After some 8 hours of searches - the IDF Spokesman announced the kidnapping of 22-year-old Asraf from Be'er Sheva was fabricated. He was located in a wadi in Kiryat Arba with canned food and a sleeping bag. Asraf and Nagauker were then arrested. The search for Asraf included hundreds of IDF soldiers and policemen, and was estimated to have cost millions of shekels.
During the search, the IDF operated almost all of its operational and logistic arms - the Central Command, the Air Force, the Computer Service Directorate, Military Intelligence and the Technological and Logistics Directorate, as well as division command posts in the field, drones and observation balloons, dozens of classified measures and even used expensive traceability and satellite communications ability. All of this was put into action less than an hour from the report on Asraf's disappearance.
Eran Nagauker, who is suspected of helping Niv Asraf stage his own kidnapping in the West Bank, denied having called the police to report his friend was missing, but police said Tuesday it had a recording of the call.
The recording, police said, will be presented in court on Sunday when the two are to be indicted.
Police sources revealed details from the recorded call to Ynet, a conversation Nagauker claims never happened. According to the police sources, Nagauker is heard talking to a police phone receptionist, stating his first name and saying he and his friend went to Kiryat Arba to pray, but got stuck on their way due to a flat tire.
Late in the recording, Nagauker can be heard saying his friend left to get a wheel wrench to replace the flat tire from one of the nearby villages, but has yet to return, half an hour later. The police receptionist is heard asking Nagauker whether his friend has a cell phone so it can be used to locate him, and Nagauker responding the phone was left in the car.
Later, police said, Nagauker pointed to the village of Bayt Einun as the place his friend was headed to. The recording starts with the words, "Hello, this is the police, (name of receptionist) speaking," which indicates this was an incoming call to the police's emergency call center. In interviews given to the media, however, Nagauker told a different version. "I never dialed the police," he told Ynet. "I saw a policeman and I approached him. I told him I couldn't find my friend." Nagauker made similar comments in other press interviews.
Attorney Itay Yitzhak, who represents Nagauker, said in response to the police's claims about the call's recording that his client never lied and that the recording is of a different call in which the police contacted Nagauker. "We didn't say there wasn't a call to police, just that he didn't initiate the call," Attorney Yitzhak said. "He didn't call the police, the police called him, and then he said the aforementioned things. He saw a policeman in the area, told him he didn't know where his friends was, the policeman got his details and they called him."
Police rejected Attorney Yitzhak's claims, insisting Nagauker did indeed call police. "The two (Nagauker and Asraf) won't stop lying and changing versions," officials familiar with the investigation said. "All of the versions they gave were carefully examined during the investigation and many contradictions were found." These officials said Asraf and Nagauker's different claims were examined, among other things, using testimonies given by many associates of the two suspects.
The search for Asraf started on Thursday afternoon after Nagauker turned to the police and reported his friend missing. After some 8 hours of searches - the IDF Spokesman announced the kidnapping of 22-year-old Asraf from Be'er Sheva was fabricated. He was located in a wadi in Kiryat Arba with canned food and a sleeping bag. Asraf and Nagauker were then arrested. The search for Asraf included hundreds of IDF soldiers and policemen, and was estimated to have cost millions of shekels.
During the search, the IDF operated almost all of its operational and logistic arms - the Central Command, the Air Force, the Computer Service Directorate, Military Intelligence and the Technological and Logistics Directorate, as well as division command posts in the field, drones and observation balloons, dozens of classified measures and even used expensive traceability and satellite communications ability. All of this was put into action less than an hour from the report on Asraf's disappearance.
6 apr 2015
IDF had launched massive manhunt in West Bank after Eran Nagauker reported Niv Asraf missing; he was later found hiding nearby with sleeping bag and canned goods.
Jerusalem Magistrate's Court on Monday ordered the conditional release of Niv Asraf and Eran Nagauker, both suspected of faking Asraf's kidnapping last week in the West Bank, which sparked a massive manhunt.
Asraf and Nagauker are suspected of conspiracy to commit a crime, fabricating evidence, obstruction of justice, disturbing the peace and obstruction of a law enforcement officer.
Judge Chen Avital ruled that each will be required to deposit NIS 3,000 in cash and sign a bail agreement of NIS 10,000.
Israeli security forces were first alerted to Asraf's disappearance on Friday, when Nagauker called the police at around 4pm, saying the two had become stranded with a flat tire on their way to pray at the Cave of the Patriarchs. Nagauker said Asraf went to find tools to replace the tire but never returned.
But when the IDF arrived at the scene, troops found no flat tires and after determining there were holes in Nagauker's story, he was taken for questioning. Asraf was located hours later in a nearby wadi, equipped with a sleeping bag and canned food.
The police had asked the court to release the two to house arrest for one week, and ban them from the West Bank for three months. The judge ruled that they could be released under those restrictions, and also barred them from leaving the country until May 6.
Hebron kidnapping hoaxer: I disappeared because I was threatened
After conditional release, Niv Asraf, suspected of faking his abduction in the West Bank, says he would have turned himself in had he known there was a manhunt for him; claims he disappeared because of threatening calls.
Niv Asraf, suspected of faking his kidnapping last week in the West Bank, held a press conference outside his Be'er Sheva home on Monday, stating that he would have made contact had he known there was a massive manhunt for him underway.
"If I had seen all the chaos, believe me, I wouldn't have done it," he said, adding that was sorry for the incident. "I didn't plan for this. If I had known it would be considered a kidnapping, I never would have done it. No one told me what was happening outside. I was isolated... I don't know how many hours I was there. I know I was in a bush and preferred to freeze than to be found."
He dismissed speculations that the hoax was related to a breakup. "You don't do something like this after a month and a half," he said. "I have lots of girls."
Motti Yosef, Asraf's attorney, said police had attempted to make Asraf an undercover agent against his will after he complained of receiving threats from people he owed money to. According to Asraf, he received a threatening phone call and decided spontaneously to disappear. "These are people you don't mess around with," he said.
"They forced me to use my money until they put me in a hole, and the police know that," Asraf said about the millions of shekels in gambling debts he claims he accumulated. "I was scared to even go out to the backyard. I hope I'm forgiven. It's up to every soldier who went searching for me to forgive me or not. My goal was for the police to help me, to put two and two together and check where I'd gone. I prefer to be the most hated person in Israel than for my father to mourn me."
Asraf said he did not take his cell phone with him because he didn't want to be found. He claimed that he had not brought a sleeping bag, contrary to police and IDF reports, and said he slept on two shirts. "I didn't get a response from the police and wanted to send a message that if something happens to me, they'll put two and two together.
"I thought the officer and detective who spoke with me would understand what happened. The police confirmed that it was contacted. I decided to escape to Hebron and Kiryat Arba because it's a Jewish area. I told my friend that I was going to disappear because of the criminals. If he had known people thought it was a kidnapping they would have found me in 20 minutes. The police have known about what happened to me for four weeks."
Asraf claimed that his friend Eran Nagauker, who notified the police about the "disappearance", knew his location but was unaware of the massive search. "Eran didn't know, he didn't know. He was isolated in a Shin Bet interrogation room for eight hours. My father begged to see him. I served in Hebron, and if I wanted to stage a kidnapping, I wouldn't do it there." A spokesman for the Negev District Police denied the "baseless" claims that Asraf had complained about being threatened multiple times. He also declined to address the issue of whether Asraf wanted to work as an agent, saying the matter was private and confidential. Jerusalem Magistrate's Court on Monday ordered the conditional release of Asraf and Nagauker. They are suspected of conspiracy to commit a crime, fabricating evidence, obstruction of justice, disturbing the peace and obstruction of a law enforcement officer.
Judge Chen Avital ruled that each will be required to deposit NIS 3,000 in cash and sign a bail agreement of NIS 10,000.
Israeli security forces were first alerted to Asraf's disappearance on Thursday, when Nagauker called the police at around 4pm, saying the two had become stranded with a flat tire on their way to pray at the Cave of the Patriarchs. Nagauker said Asraf went to find tools to replace the tire but never returned.
But when the IDF arrived at the scene, troops found no flat tires and after determining there were holes in Nagauker's story, he was taken for questioning. Asraf was located hours later in a nearby wadi, equipped with a sleeping bag and canned food.
The police had asked the court to release the two to house arrest for one week, and ban them from the West Bank for three months. The judge ruled that they could be released under those restrictions, and also barred them from leaving the country until May 6.
Hebron kidnapping hoaxer's accomplice: I did it to save him
Eran Nagauker says he was worried about his friend, Niv Asraf: 'He was in a very serious situation. Critical. I saw the distress in his eyes.'
IDF soldier Eran Nagauker, who is accused of playing a part in Niv Asraf's alleged kidnapping hoax in the West Bank, said after his release from police custody on Monday that he only wanted to help a friend in need, and that they did not plan to stage an abduction.
"I want to ask forgiveness from the Defense Ministry, the police, and anyone else we wronged," Nagauker said Monday. "I didn't know it would lead to soldiers staying (at their bases) for the holiday and being called for reserve duty. I feel uneasy about what I did, I'm asking for the soldiers' forgiveness." Nagauker said the situation he found himself in was for him to either help his friend, or lose him.
"He was in a very serious situation. Critical. I saw the distress in his eyes. It was purely to save him. It wasn't planned. We didn't sit and discuss this. It's something he came up with in the moment - for him to disappear. The story was blown out of proportion," he told reporters.
Nagauker claimed he approached a policeman in the area and told him Asraf was missing. "I never called the police. I just saw a policeman and turned to him. I told him I couldn't find my friend."
"He (Asraf) told me he needed his peace and quiet," Nagauker said. "We got to Kiryat Arba, we sat down to eat, and then he got the idea that he wanted to disappear. To get rid of some of the mess he's in. I'm sure he got to this situation because he had too much on his mind. I helped him but I was against him disappearing and worrying his family and those around him." Nagauker claimed he did not know about the manhunt launched for his friend.
"We sat in the interrogation room for close to eight hours and I didn't know what was happening outside... If I had said where he was, Niv might've done something because of his situation. I feared for his life. This is a friend I know from high school. I was just trying to help him." Nagauker added that "after I saw the mess and that half the army was searching for him, I just told them where he was. We left the interrogation room, got into a jeep, went to that place, and that's it. It was dark and he was asleep."
Attorney Einav Chimi, one of Nagauker's lawyers, said, "This was highly-publicized in the media. The people of Israel were presented with a false portrayal of two youths who were allegedly trying to get attention and staging a kidnapping. This never happened." Jerusalem Magistrate's Court on Monday ordered the conditional release of Asraf and Nagauker, who were arrested after Asraf was found. They are suspected of conspiracy to commit a crime, fabricating evidence, obstruction of justice, disturbing the peace and obstruction of a law enforcement officer.
Judge Chen Avital ruled that each will be required to deposit NIS 3,000 in cash and sign a bail agreement of NIS 10,000.
According to police, Asraf and Nagauker have given contradictory accounts of what led to Asraf's disappearance. "This morning, Nagauker still claimed they did it because Niv wanted to get back together with his girlfriend, and threatened to kill himself," an official in the Judea and Samaria Police Department told Ynet. "On Thursday morning they were both sitting in the same vehicle and were talking, and it's strange they're saying different things... someone lied and is continuing to lie," the official added.
Asraf's claim that he accumulated massive gambling debts and was being blackmailed by criminals was first made only after he was arrested and interrogated, the police said. Police also said Asraf was not approached to become an undercover police agent, as he claimed he was. Police was checking whether Asraf offered himself as a police informant.
"A man who is being threatened doesn't run to the media to talk about it on TV, because a day after his release there'll be a bomb planted in his car," the official said. "Asraf is trying to find a way out of the situation he found himself in. His claims are far-fetched, to say the least."
A spokesman for the Negev District Police denied the "baseless" claims that Asraf had complained about being threatened multiple times.
Jerusalem Magistrate's Court on Monday ordered the conditional release of Niv Asraf and Eran Nagauker, both suspected of faking Asraf's kidnapping last week in the West Bank, which sparked a massive manhunt.
Asraf and Nagauker are suspected of conspiracy to commit a crime, fabricating evidence, obstruction of justice, disturbing the peace and obstruction of a law enforcement officer.
Judge Chen Avital ruled that each will be required to deposit NIS 3,000 in cash and sign a bail agreement of NIS 10,000.
Israeli security forces were first alerted to Asraf's disappearance on Friday, when Nagauker called the police at around 4pm, saying the two had become stranded with a flat tire on their way to pray at the Cave of the Patriarchs. Nagauker said Asraf went to find tools to replace the tire but never returned.
But when the IDF arrived at the scene, troops found no flat tires and after determining there were holes in Nagauker's story, he was taken for questioning. Asraf was located hours later in a nearby wadi, equipped with a sleeping bag and canned food.
The police had asked the court to release the two to house arrest for one week, and ban them from the West Bank for three months. The judge ruled that they could be released under those restrictions, and also barred them from leaving the country until May 6.
Hebron kidnapping hoaxer: I disappeared because I was threatened
After conditional release, Niv Asraf, suspected of faking his abduction in the West Bank, says he would have turned himself in had he known there was a manhunt for him; claims he disappeared because of threatening calls.
Niv Asraf, suspected of faking his kidnapping last week in the West Bank, held a press conference outside his Be'er Sheva home on Monday, stating that he would have made contact had he known there was a massive manhunt for him underway.
"If I had seen all the chaos, believe me, I wouldn't have done it," he said, adding that was sorry for the incident. "I didn't plan for this. If I had known it would be considered a kidnapping, I never would have done it. No one told me what was happening outside. I was isolated... I don't know how many hours I was there. I know I was in a bush and preferred to freeze than to be found."
He dismissed speculations that the hoax was related to a breakup. "You don't do something like this after a month and a half," he said. "I have lots of girls."
Motti Yosef, Asraf's attorney, said police had attempted to make Asraf an undercover agent against his will after he complained of receiving threats from people he owed money to. According to Asraf, he received a threatening phone call and decided spontaneously to disappear. "These are people you don't mess around with," he said.
"They forced me to use my money until they put me in a hole, and the police know that," Asraf said about the millions of shekels in gambling debts he claims he accumulated. "I was scared to even go out to the backyard. I hope I'm forgiven. It's up to every soldier who went searching for me to forgive me or not. My goal was for the police to help me, to put two and two together and check where I'd gone. I prefer to be the most hated person in Israel than for my father to mourn me."
Asraf said he did not take his cell phone with him because he didn't want to be found. He claimed that he had not brought a sleeping bag, contrary to police and IDF reports, and said he slept on two shirts. "I didn't get a response from the police and wanted to send a message that if something happens to me, they'll put two and two together.
"I thought the officer and detective who spoke with me would understand what happened. The police confirmed that it was contacted. I decided to escape to Hebron and Kiryat Arba because it's a Jewish area. I told my friend that I was going to disappear because of the criminals. If he had known people thought it was a kidnapping they would have found me in 20 minutes. The police have known about what happened to me for four weeks."
Asraf claimed that his friend Eran Nagauker, who notified the police about the "disappearance", knew his location but was unaware of the massive search. "Eran didn't know, he didn't know. He was isolated in a Shin Bet interrogation room for eight hours. My father begged to see him. I served in Hebron, and if I wanted to stage a kidnapping, I wouldn't do it there." A spokesman for the Negev District Police denied the "baseless" claims that Asraf had complained about being threatened multiple times. He also declined to address the issue of whether Asraf wanted to work as an agent, saying the matter was private and confidential. Jerusalem Magistrate's Court on Monday ordered the conditional release of Asraf and Nagauker. They are suspected of conspiracy to commit a crime, fabricating evidence, obstruction of justice, disturbing the peace and obstruction of a law enforcement officer.
Judge Chen Avital ruled that each will be required to deposit NIS 3,000 in cash and sign a bail agreement of NIS 10,000.
Israeli security forces were first alerted to Asraf's disappearance on Thursday, when Nagauker called the police at around 4pm, saying the two had become stranded with a flat tire on their way to pray at the Cave of the Patriarchs. Nagauker said Asraf went to find tools to replace the tire but never returned.
But when the IDF arrived at the scene, troops found no flat tires and after determining there were holes in Nagauker's story, he was taken for questioning. Asraf was located hours later in a nearby wadi, equipped with a sleeping bag and canned food.
The police had asked the court to release the two to house arrest for one week, and ban them from the West Bank for three months. The judge ruled that they could be released under those restrictions, and also barred them from leaving the country until May 6.
Hebron kidnapping hoaxer's accomplice: I did it to save him
Eran Nagauker says he was worried about his friend, Niv Asraf: 'He was in a very serious situation. Critical. I saw the distress in his eyes.'
IDF soldier Eran Nagauker, who is accused of playing a part in Niv Asraf's alleged kidnapping hoax in the West Bank, said after his release from police custody on Monday that he only wanted to help a friend in need, and that they did not plan to stage an abduction.
"I want to ask forgiveness from the Defense Ministry, the police, and anyone else we wronged," Nagauker said Monday. "I didn't know it would lead to soldiers staying (at their bases) for the holiday and being called for reserve duty. I feel uneasy about what I did, I'm asking for the soldiers' forgiveness." Nagauker said the situation he found himself in was for him to either help his friend, or lose him.
"He was in a very serious situation. Critical. I saw the distress in his eyes. It was purely to save him. It wasn't planned. We didn't sit and discuss this. It's something he came up with in the moment - for him to disappear. The story was blown out of proportion," he told reporters.
Nagauker claimed he approached a policeman in the area and told him Asraf was missing. "I never called the police. I just saw a policeman and turned to him. I told him I couldn't find my friend."
"He (Asraf) told me he needed his peace and quiet," Nagauker said. "We got to Kiryat Arba, we sat down to eat, and then he got the idea that he wanted to disappear. To get rid of some of the mess he's in. I'm sure he got to this situation because he had too much on his mind. I helped him but I was against him disappearing and worrying his family and those around him." Nagauker claimed he did not know about the manhunt launched for his friend.
"We sat in the interrogation room for close to eight hours and I didn't know what was happening outside... If I had said where he was, Niv might've done something because of his situation. I feared for his life. This is a friend I know from high school. I was just trying to help him." Nagauker added that "after I saw the mess and that half the army was searching for him, I just told them where he was. We left the interrogation room, got into a jeep, went to that place, and that's it. It was dark and he was asleep."
Attorney Einav Chimi, one of Nagauker's lawyers, said, "This was highly-publicized in the media. The people of Israel were presented with a false portrayal of two youths who were allegedly trying to get attention and staging a kidnapping. This never happened." Jerusalem Magistrate's Court on Monday ordered the conditional release of Asraf and Nagauker, who were arrested after Asraf was found. They are suspected of conspiracy to commit a crime, fabricating evidence, obstruction of justice, disturbing the peace and obstruction of a law enforcement officer.
Judge Chen Avital ruled that each will be required to deposit NIS 3,000 in cash and sign a bail agreement of NIS 10,000.
According to police, Asraf and Nagauker have given contradictory accounts of what led to Asraf's disappearance. "This morning, Nagauker still claimed they did it because Niv wanted to get back together with his girlfriend, and threatened to kill himself," an official in the Judea and Samaria Police Department told Ynet. "On Thursday morning they were both sitting in the same vehicle and were talking, and it's strange they're saying different things... someone lied and is continuing to lie," the official added.
Asraf's claim that he accumulated massive gambling debts and was being blackmailed by criminals was first made only after he was arrested and interrogated, the police said. Police also said Asraf was not approached to become an undercover police agent, as he claimed he was. Police was checking whether Asraf offered himself as a police informant.
"A man who is being threatened doesn't run to the media to talk about it on TV, because a day after his release there'll be a bomb planted in his car," the official said. "Asraf is trying to find a way out of the situation he found himself in. His claims are far-fetched, to say the least."
A spokesman for the Negev District Police denied the "baseless" claims that Asraf had complained about being threatened multiple times.
20 people arrested on suspicion of committing violent crimes, including murder and attempted murder.
After an undercover investigation lasting a year and a half, Tel Aviv police on Monday broke up a massive crime ring, arresting its head and 20 other people.
The police believe that they have managed to break up a huge operation in central Israel. The detainees are suspected of committing violent crimes, including murder, attempted murder and soliciting murder.
On Monday morning, hundreds of detectives working in a joint operation raided the homes of dozens of suspects, taking them in for questioning.
It was a painstaking operation, police say, with officers from the central unit going back over dozens of testimonies on criminal activity.
The police detectives managed to gather information on the way in which the organization operated, as well as evidence of acts by other criminal groups.
The detainees will now appear in court for a remand hearing.
After an undercover investigation lasting a year and a half, Tel Aviv police on Monday broke up a massive crime ring, arresting its head and 20 other people.
The police believe that they have managed to break up a huge operation in central Israel. The detainees are suspected of committing violent crimes, including murder, attempted murder and soliciting murder.
On Monday morning, hundreds of detectives working in a joint operation raided the homes of dozens of suspects, taking them in for questioning.
It was a painstaking operation, police say, with officers from the central unit going back over dozens of testimonies on criminal activity.
The police detectives managed to gather information on the way in which the organization operated, as well as evidence of acts by other criminal groups.
The detainees will now appear in court for a remand hearing.
The number of sexual assaults in the Israeli military rose by fifteen percent in the year 2014, new figures show.
The statistics obtained by TheMarker via the Movement for Freedom of Information show a record number of 1073 sexual harassment cases that were reported in 2014.
Of that figure, 667 complaints were filed in the military and the rest were among civilian employees.
The number of the cases makes an average figure of three sexual harassment cases per day.
Experts believe that many cases of sexual harassment go unreported in the Israeli military.
The number of sexual assaults in the Israeli military was 777 in 2012 and 930 in 2013.
On March 13, the chief prosecutor of the Israeli army, Udi Ben Eliezer, said that 37 Israeli officers and soldiers were indicted for sex offenses in 2014, showing a 40-percent jump in comparison with the previous year.
He added that most of the sexual harassment cases were perpetrated by military officials against their subordinates.
He also lashed out at the high-ranking officials of the regime’s military for turning a blind eye to the frequent sex offenses committed under their command.
“I expect commanders not to keep it to themselves, but to come forward and report it. Sometimes we discover that there were large groups of people who knew of an abusive person for a long time, and no one was surprised when an investigation was opened. Commanders must not stand idly by and let these things happen,” he stated.
The issue of sexual misconduct in the Israeli army has given rise to heated debates over the past years.
In 2014, it was revealed that senior officials of the Israeli military covered up a sexual scandal in which six soldiers were harassed in Givati Brigade. The reports also said that the criminal case was not reported to the regime’s judiciary and that the offender had just been transferred to another unit.
The statistics obtained by TheMarker via the Movement for Freedom of Information show a record number of 1073 sexual harassment cases that were reported in 2014.
Of that figure, 667 complaints were filed in the military and the rest were among civilian employees.
The number of the cases makes an average figure of three sexual harassment cases per day.
Experts believe that many cases of sexual harassment go unreported in the Israeli military.
The number of sexual assaults in the Israeli military was 777 in 2012 and 930 in 2013.
On March 13, the chief prosecutor of the Israeli army, Udi Ben Eliezer, said that 37 Israeli officers and soldiers were indicted for sex offenses in 2014, showing a 40-percent jump in comparison with the previous year.
He added that most of the sexual harassment cases were perpetrated by military officials against their subordinates.
He also lashed out at the high-ranking officials of the regime’s military for turning a blind eye to the frequent sex offenses committed under their command.
“I expect commanders not to keep it to themselves, but to come forward and report it. Sometimes we discover that there were large groups of people who knew of an abusive person for a long time, and no one was surprised when an investigation was opened. Commanders must not stand idly by and let these things happen,” he stated.
The issue of sexual misconduct in the Israeli army has given rise to heated debates over the past years.
In 2014, it was revealed that senior officials of the Israeli military covered up a sexual scandal in which six soldiers were harassed in Givati Brigade. The reports also said that the criminal case was not reported to the regime’s judiciary and that the offender had just been transferred to another unit.
5 apr 2015
Asraf (left) and Nagauker
Israeli who faked his own abduction in the West Bank says he decided to disappear after accumulating millions of shekels in gambling debts; Asraf and his friend Nagauker could be indicted as early as this week.
Three days after allegedly staging his own kidnapping in the West Bank, Niv Asraf and his suspected accomplice Eran Nagauker were questioned again Sunday morning.
Police believe that the two men will be charged in an expedited procedure later this week. They are suspected of conspiracy to commit a crime, fabricating evidence, obstruction of justice, disturbing the peace and obstruction of a law enforcement officer. The two men have supplied contradictory accounts of the so-called prank, which Judge Chen Avital of Jerusalem Magistrate's Court described as "irresponsible."
During his interrogation, Nagauker claimed that he and his friend had staged the kidnap in order to elicit a positive reaction from Asraf's ex-girlfriend. Asraf, however, said that he had decided to "disappear" after he accumulated millions of shekels in gambling debts. Asraf told investigators that he had felt threatened by criminals in Be'er Sheva and had therefore wanted to escape.
He also said that he had planned to stage the abduction days earlier, before his girlfriend had left him. Police investigators, however, are uncertain how - even if he is telling the truth – staging his disappearance in the West Bank could help Asraf.
Police investigators said there was little relevance between the motive and the severity of the offenses the two had committed, and that there are therefore no extenuating circumstances with regards to these crimes. The police investigators also noted that the evidence in the case are solid, and that the two have admitted to the allegations attributed to them. Asraf and Nagauker will be brought for another remand extension on Monday, and could be released on house arrest under restrictions.
Attorney Motti Yosef, who represents Asraf, told Ynet that "naturally, I can't get into the details of the investigation but I can say the act was not romantically motivated. It's an entirely different direction. He claims his disappearance was not due to a fight with his girlfriend, but for a different reason altogether."
Israeli who faked his own abduction in the West Bank says he decided to disappear after accumulating millions of shekels in gambling debts; Asraf and his friend Nagauker could be indicted as early as this week.
Three days after allegedly staging his own kidnapping in the West Bank, Niv Asraf and his suspected accomplice Eran Nagauker were questioned again Sunday morning.
Police believe that the two men will be charged in an expedited procedure later this week. They are suspected of conspiracy to commit a crime, fabricating evidence, obstruction of justice, disturbing the peace and obstruction of a law enforcement officer. The two men have supplied contradictory accounts of the so-called prank, which Judge Chen Avital of Jerusalem Magistrate's Court described as "irresponsible."
During his interrogation, Nagauker claimed that he and his friend had staged the kidnap in order to elicit a positive reaction from Asraf's ex-girlfriend. Asraf, however, said that he had decided to "disappear" after he accumulated millions of shekels in gambling debts. Asraf told investigators that he had felt threatened by criminals in Be'er Sheva and had therefore wanted to escape.
He also said that he had planned to stage the abduction days earlier, before his girlfriend had left him. Police investigators, however, are uncertain how - even if he is telling the truth – staging his disappearance in the West Bank could help Asraf.
Police investigators said there was little relevance between the motive and the severity of the offenses the two had committed, and that there are therefore no extenuating circumstances with regards to these crimes. The police investigators also noted that the evidence in the case are solid, and that the two have admitted to the allegations attributed to them. Asraf and Nagauker will be brought for another remand extension on Monday, and could be released on house arrest under restrictions.
Attorney Motti Yosef, who represents Asraf, told Ynet that "naturally, I can't get into the details of the investigation but I can say the act was not romantically motivated. It's an entirely different direction. He claims his disappearance was not due to a fight with his girlfriend, but for a different reason altogether."
3 apr 2015
22-year-old Niv Asraf, who triggered a massive manhunt when his soldier friend falsely reported that he had been kidnapped, has remand extended until Monday.
The Beer Sheva resident was suspected of fabrication of evidence, obstruction of justice, disturbing the peace, and obstruction of a law enforcement officer. The court extended Asraf's remand by three days. His friend also had his remand extended by three days. It emerged Friday that this friend Eran Nagauker, who falsely reported the kidnapping, was an IDF soldier.
The IDF spokesman said late Thursday night that Asraf had not been kidnapped and police would continue the investigation. Judge Chen Avital said at Friday's hearing that the evidence tying the suspects to the case was indisputable. "This deed was shockingly irresponsible considering our reality, especially because in the recent past teenagers were kidnapped and murdered in an area adjacent to where this incident took place."
Judea and Samaria District Police said Thursday that Asraf had been found in Kiryat Arba with canned food and a sleeping bag. "The 'missing man' and his friends staged a kidnapping," the police spokesman said. "We will investigate the reasons behind this and will handle this to the full extent of the law. We take this hoax very seriously. A waste of resources and rattling the entire defense system because of a deception is a most serious case, especially in this sensitive security situation."
The police put the costs of the 10-hour search effort at a few millions of shekels, including manpower, emergency helicopters and opening up special emergency command centers. According to the IDF, some 2000 soldiers were involved in rescue efforts. Asraf's father, Shmuel, apologized on behalf of his son on Friday morning. "We apologize to all those who helped in the search," he said. "I don't know what he was thinking. We are happy he's back, but also worried because of his mental state."
Other family members were just relieved that he'd been found. "My smile is back," said his mother. "I'm so happy." One of his sisters expressed frustration: "First we'll seriously beat him up. I didn't get my eyebrows done because of him."
Israeli security forces were first alerted to Asraf's disappearance when his friend called the police at 4:17 pm, saying he and Asraf were stranded with a flat tire on their way to pray at the Cave of the Patriarchs. The caller said Asraf went to find tools to replace the tire but never returned. However, when the IDF arrived at the scene, troops found no flat tires in the vehicle and after other questions arose from the friend's story, he was taken for questioning.
Hundreds of policemen and soldiers from the IDF's Judea and Samaria division were deployed to the area to search for Asraf, including Special Unit soldiers. The troops were searching houses and cars in Bayt Einun.
Forces were searching the area between Halhul north of Hebron and Bani Na'im south of Hebron. The IDF also launched drones and observation balloons into the air to for a bird's eye view of the area.
The army closed roads around Bayt Einun on Highway 60 and Highway 35 as part of the search effort and declared the entire area a closed military zone.
The Beer Sheva resident was suspected of fabrication of evidence, obstruction of justice, disturbing the peace, and obstruction of a law enforcement officer. The court extended Asraf's remand by three days. His friend also had his remand extended by three days. It emerged Friday that this friend Eran Nagauker, who falsely reported the kidnapping, was an IDF soldier.
The IDF spokesman said late Thursday night that Asraf had not been kidnapped and police would continue the investigation. Judge Chen Avital said at Friday's hearing that the evidence tying the suspects to the case was indisputable. "This deed was shockingly irresponsible considering our reality, especially because in the recent past teenagers were kidnapped and murdered in an area adjacent to where this incident took place."
Judea and Samaria District Police said Thursday that Asraf had been found in Kiryat Arba with canned food and a sleeping bag. "The 'missing man' and his friends staged a kidnapping," the police spokesman said. "We will investigate the reasons behind this and will handle this to the full extent of the law. We take this hoax very seriously. A waste of resources and rattling the entire defense system because of a deception is a most serious case, especially in this sensitive security situation."
The police put the costs of the 10-hour search effort at a few millions of shekels, including manpower, emergency helicopters and opening up special emergency command centers. According to the IDF, some 2000 soldiers were involved in rescue efforts. Asraf's father, Shmuel, apologized on behalf of his son on Friday morning. "We apologize to all those who helped in the search," he said. "I don't know what he was thinking. We are happy he's back, but also worried because of his mental state."
Other family members were just relieved that he'd been found. "My smile is back," said his mother. "I'm so happy." One of his sisters expressed frustration: "First we'll seriously beat him up. I didn't get my eyebrows done because of him."
Israeli security forces were first alerted to Asraf's disappearance when his friend called the police at 4:17 pm, saying he and Asraf were stranded with a flat tire on their way to pray at the Cave of the Patriarchs. The caller said Asraf went to find tools to replace the tire but never returned. However, when the IDF arrived at the scene, troops found no flat tires in the vehicle and after other questions arose from the friend's story, he was taken for questioning.
Hundreds of policemen and soldiers from the IDF's Judea and Samaria division were deployed to the area to search for Asraf, including Special Unit soldiers. The troops were searching houses and cars in Bayt Einun.
Forces were searching the area between Halhul north of Hebron and Bani Na'im south of Hebron. The IDF also launched drones and observation balloons into the air to for a bird's eye view of the area.
The army closed roads around Bayt Einun on Highway 60 and Highway 35 as part of the search effort and declared the entire area a closed military zone.
Israeli sources have reported that the 22-year-old soldier, who was believed to be missing, or “kidnapped," staged his own disappearance, after the soldiers initiated a search campaign and found him, on Friday at dawn, sleeping in Kiryat Arba Jewish settlement in Hebron.
Israeli Ynet News has reported that the army searched the entire area for 10 hours, before locating the soldier, identified as Niv Asraf, 22, with “canned food and a sleeping bag.”
The army later issued a statement, after questioning the soldiers, saying that Asraf fabricated the whole kidnapping allegation.
The Police said it will be investigating the motives behind making up such a claim, and that it will deal with it to the full extent of the law.
The abduction claim started surfacing after the police received a call after 4PM, Thursday, alleging that the soldier had a flat tire while on his way to Hebron “to pray,” while the caller, his friend, said Asraf wanted to find tool to fix the “flat tire.”
When the soldiers arrived at the scene, they did not find a flat tire, an issue that raised suspicion, and took the soldier’s friend for interrogation.
Israeli Ynet News has reported that the army searched the entire area for 10 hours, before locating the soldier, identified as Niv Asraf, 22, with “canned food and a sleeping bag.”
The army later issued a statement, after questioning the soldiers, saying that Asraf fabricated the whole kidnapping allegation.
The Police said it will be investigating the motives behind making up such a claim, and that it will deal with it to the full extent of the law.
The abduction claim started surfacing after the police received a call after 4PM, Thursday, alleging that the soldier had a flat tire while on his way to Hebron “to pray,” while the caller, his friend, said Asraf wanted to find tool to fix the “flat tire.”
When the soldiers arrived at the scene, they did not find a flat tire, an issue that raised suspicion, and took the soldier’s friend for interrogation.
2 apr 2015
The Israeli Army, and the Police, said they are searching for an Israeli man who apparently went missing, on Thursday afternoon, near the southern West bank city of Hebron, and are investigating whether the man was abducted.
Israeli sources said the Police received a call from a young Israeli who said his friend had a flat tire in an area between the Israeli colony of Keryat Arba’ and the village of Beit ‘Anoun.
The caller, who was accompanying the missing man, added that the young man went to bring some tools, but never returned, Israeli Jerusalem Post has reported.
It added that when the person contacted the police, he told them that he has been waiting for his friend for thirty minutes.
Meanwhile, Israeli TV Channel two said the missing Israeli, 22 years of age, allegedly went to Beit ‘Anoun Palestinian village to bring a wrench, without his cellphone, but never returned.
Channel 2 added that the missing Israeli is from Beersheba (Be’er as-Sabe’), and that he was on a trip to the Ibrahimi Mosque (Cave of the Patriarchs) in Hebron, to pray and his car broke down on the way back home.
The Israeli army said the incident is very serious and that it is conducting all needed measures.
The army also installed roadblocks near the towns of Halhoul and Beit ‘Anoun, in addition to the al-‘Arroub refugee camp.
Israeli sources said the Police received a call from a young Israeli who said his friend had a flat tire in an area between the Israeli colony of Keryat Arba’ and the village of Beit ‘Anoun.
The caller, who was accompanying the missing man, added that the young man went to bring some tools, but never returned, Israeli Jerusalem Post has reported.
It added that when the person contacted the police, he told them that he has been waiting for his friend for thirty minutes.
Meanwhile, Israeli TV Channel two said the missing Israeli, 22 years of age, allegedly went to Beit ‘Anoun Palestinian village to bring a wrench, without his cellphone, but never returned.
Channel 2 added that the missing Israeli is from Beersheba (Be’er as-Sabe’), and that he was on a trip to the Ibrahimi Mosque (Cave of the Patriarchs) in Hebron, to pray and his car broke down on the way back home.
The Israeli army said the incident is very serious and that it is conducting all needed measures.
The army also installed roadblocks near the towns of Halhoul and Beit ‘Anoun, in addition to the al-‘Arroub refugee camp.
Daliat al-Carmel man accused of passing on classified information to Siddqui Al Maqt, who shared it with Syrian intelligence and was arrested last week following lengthy investigation.
An IDF combat soldier was arrested Thursday on suspicion of indirectly passing classified information to the enemy.
Hilal Halbi, from the Druze town of Daliat al-Carmel, allegedly shared the information with another Israeli citizen, Siddqui Al Maqt, who then shared it with Syrian intelligence. Al Maqt was arrested last week following a lengthy investigation by police and the Shin Bet.
According to the indictment, Halbi passed the classified information to Al Maqt on two different occasions. The information includes details on IDF military activity along the Israel-Syria border, and could potentially harm national security. Halbi was indicted at the Central Military District Court.
Halbi provided Al-Maqt with the information while he was serving on the security force tasked with securing the area.
Earlier this week, Siddqui Al Maqt was indicted at the Nazareth District Courthouse on charges of espionage, after he allegedly passed photocopied materials, reports and observations on IDF activity in the Golan Heights to Syrian intelligence sources. According to Thursday's indictment, Al Maqt passed on information he had received from Halbi to Syrian government officials and intelligence.
A week ago, details regarding the first part of the espionage affair were cleared for publication. It was then disclosed that an indictment was filed against Al Maqt, who was arrested in the past on charges of espionage.
Al Maqt now stands accused of espionage once again, as well as abetting an enemy during wartime, supporting a terror organization, having contact with a foreign agent and other security offenses.
He was arrested along with two other Druze men from the Golan, Atef Darwish and Fidaa al-Shaer.
Al Maqt was released from Israeli prison two and a half years after serving a 27-year sentence. He was first imprisoned in 1985 on charges of terrorist activity and was released in August 2012.
Police said that he returned to nationalist activity immediately after his release. "He began to spread incitement and promote nationalistic activities in the Golan Heights and the Palestinian Authority," said the chief of the police investigation team, superintendent Eli Fuchs.
"He supports Hezbollah, Iran and Bashar Assad. He believes the Golan Heights belongs to Syria and that it must be returned to Syria. According to this thinking, a Golan resident holding an Israeli ID card is a traitor."
Investigators allege that Al Maqt documented IDF activity on the northern border, collected information on it, and gave it to intelligence and government sources in Syria. Security sources said the passing of information was carried out by uploading materials online, broadcasting them on Syrian television, and by direct contact between Al Maqt and Syrian agents.
The sources said Al Maqt admitted to the charges during questioning and also confessed to contacting Medhat Saleh, a Syrian government member known for ties to Syrian intelligence.
"He cooperated and confessed to most of the charges against him," said police. "He speaks to us from an ideological standpoint; he considers himself a Syrian citizen serving his country and believes wholeheartedly that he was doing good."
They added that the large-scale investigation began months before the arrest that included police detectives, police intelligences, the Shin Bet and the IDF.
An IDF combat soldier was arrested Thursday on suspicion of indirectly passing classified information to the enemy.
Hilal Halbi, from the Druze town of Daliat al-Carmel, allegedly shared the information with another Israeli citizen, Siddqui Al Maqt, who then shared it with Syrian intelligence. Al Maqt was arrested last week following a lengthy investigation by police and the Shin Bet.
According to the indictment, Halbi passed the classified information to Al Maqt on two different occasions. The information includes details on IDF military activity along the Israel-Syria border, and could potentially harm national security. Halbi was indicted at the Central Military District Court.
Halbi provided Al-Maqt with the information while he was serving on the security force tasked with securing the area.
Earlier this week, Siddqui Al Maqt was indicted at the Nazareth District Courthouse on charges of espionage, after he allegedly passed photocopied materials, reports and observations on IDF activity in the Golan Heights to Syrian intelligence sources. According to Thursday's indictment, Al Maqt passed on information he had received from Halbi to Syrian government officials and intelligence.
A week ago, details regarding the first part of the espionage affair were cleared for publication. It was then disclosed that an indictment was filed against Al Maqt, who was arrested in the past on charges of espionage.
Al Maqt now stands accused of espionage once again, as well as abetting an enemy during wartime, supporting a terror organization, having contact with a foreign agent and other security offenses.
He was arrested along with two other Druze men from the Golan, Atef Darwish and Fidaa al-Shaer.
Al Maqt was released from Israeli prison two and a half years after serving a 27-year sentence. He was first imprisoned in 1985 on charges of terrorist activity and was released in August 2012.
Police said that he returned to nationalist activity immediately after his release. "He began to spread incitement and promote nationalistic activities in the Golan Heights and the Palestinian Authority," said the chief of the police investigation team, superintendent Eli Fuchs.
"He supports Hezbollah, Iran and Bashar Assad. He believes the Golan Heights belongs to Syria and that it must be returned to Syria. According to this thinking, a Golan resident holding an Israeli ID card is a traitor."
Investigators allege that Al Maqt documented IDF activity on the northern border, collected information on it, and gave it to intelligence and government sources in Syria. Security sources said the passing of information was carried out by uploading materials online, broadcasting them on Syrian television, and by direct contact between Al Maqt and Syrian agents.
The sources said Al Maqt admitted to the charges during questioning and also confessed to contacting Medhat Saleh, a Syrian government member known for ties to Syrian intelligence.
"He cooperated and confessed to most of the charges against him," said police. "He speaks to us from an ideological standpoint; he considers himself a Syrian citizen serving his country and believes wholeheartedly that he was doing good."
They added that the large-scale investigation began months before the arrest that included police detectives, police intelligences, the Shin Bet and the IDF.
