I have no idea what IDF Brig. Gen. Ofek Buchris did or did not do behind closed doors, and I also don't know when or with whom. It is completely clear that there is virtually no one who really knows the facts beyond what is written in the indictment. The charges that appear there are very serious (very!), but it must be stressed, here and in any other criminal case, that the indictment is not yet a conviction, so we must be careful about what we say. I do know that Buchris is considered to be an Israeli hero and that we have good justice systems, both civilian and military, and I rely on them. I trust that they will listen to and examine and consider all the evidence, data and testimonies carefully, wholeheartedly and with a pure spirit. The Torah says to place judges and police officers at all your gates. Commentators explain that "gates" refers to all the "gateways" to your body. Guard your eyes from unnecessary glances, winks and peeks at tabloid headlines. Guard your mouth from telling lies, slandering and speaking ill of others. Guard your ears from listening to gossip. If the lawyers and judges tune out all this background noise, it will be easier for them to reach the kernel of truth. Until then, until they make their ruling, I will allow myself to ponder the shock waves that naturally follow an earthquake and the consequences and results that come along with them. Buchris' privacy and family life have been expropriated by insatiable voyeurism. Even if he did commit some of the acts he is accused of, his wife and children did nothing wrong and are not tainted by association. Yet the poisonous arrows are critically injuring them. There is a lot of space between the presumption of innocence, which is no longer sacred, and the gross invasion of one's privacy. And so the wisdom of our hearts should dictate restraint. The goal is to uproot every instance of exploitation, harassment and indecent acts, but we must not allow this to drag us into the realm of an independent judiciary and rampant defamation. The other consideration is the military. There is no doubt that today, the IDF is 10 times more scrupulous than in the past when it comes to dealing with sex crimes. This is true and not just a cover-up attempt -- and that's a good thing, because young women are sent to the army from their parents' homes, and rank and authority may overwhelm them. In recent years, female soldiers and officers have taken on roles in nearly every part of the military. There is also a notable rise in the number of religious girls choosing to serve. A chauvinistic climate is dangerous, especially within a hierarchical system that allows men to express male dominance and exercise authority. The IDF must deal seriously with every moral deviation of this kind, including kisses. It is possible and necessary to fight against, minimize the occurrence of and prevent these instances. And, of course, I am thinking about the complainants and their families. About the situation in which, God forbid, the tables are turned and people humiliate the victims, defame them and debase them in a distorted defense attempt. Suddenly they are immodest. Suddenly the finger is pointed at them and at how they are dressed. Suddenly they are considered to have behaved provocatively, as if all this would make the rape, harassment and despicable sexual exploitation any less serious. Leora Minka is the director of religious women's movement Emunah.
The IDF must remain tough on sex crimes
מערכת היום
מערכת "היום“ מפיקה ומעדכנת תכנים חדשותיים, מבזקים ופרשנויות לאורך כל שעות היממה. התוכן נערך בקפדנות, נבדק עובדתית ומוגש לציבור מתוך האמונה שהקוראים ראויים לעיתונות טובה יותר - אמינה, אובייקטיבית ועניינית.
