Imprisoned Palestinian terror convict Mahmoud Atallah is suspected of sexually assaulting female soldiers serving as prison guards at the Gilboa Prison.
The Ynet news site revealed on Monday that police are investigating claims of serious sexual assault committed several years ago against a female soldier serving as a prison guard by a security inmate, with several outlets naming the suspect as Atallah.
Additionally, Ynet reported Wednesday that Atallah had recently secretly met with personnel from the Shin Bet and Israel Prisons Service’s intelligence unit in an attempt to be released from solitary confinement, prompting criticism of the security organizations.
Atallah has been in solitary confinement since 2018, over a scandal in which an intelligence officer allegedly “pimped” female guards to Atallah and to other Palestinian inmates, at his request.The new probe indicates that police believe the scope of his actions is broader than previously thought.
The Lod District Court on Monday overturned a previous court decision and partially lifted a gag order on the case, allowing the publication of the investigation but not the nature of the severe offenses allegedly carried out, as the investigation is still ongoing.“This is a horrifying case, one of the worse to ever take place in the State of Israel involving female soldiers during their military service,” said lawyer Keren Barak who represents the victims in the case.
“Israeli commanders pimped IDF soldiers and guards together with a terrorist with blood on his hands in order to satisfy his sexual needs. The State of Israel can no longer ignore these women. It must support them, rehabilitate them and acknowledge them as terror victims. Everyone involved must be brought to justice and the investigation needs to look into how far this went,” she added.
According to Wednesday’s report about Atallah’s meeting with Shin Bet and IPS officials, the prisoner had requested the meeting, which took place several months ago.
After the IPS refused to release him back to his previous ward, Atallah turned to the Shin Bet, hoping that providing new information about his alleged actions would play in his favor.
But the fact that such a meeting took place at his request has been met with criticism.
“Meeting with Atallah without notifying all relevant parties is like obstruction of justice,” an unnamed member of the state commission of inquiry into the Gilboa Prison break told Ynet.
