Moshe Feiglin: False Sexual Harassment Accusers Must be Prosecuted

“What will happen if, in a year or two, the woman who accused Colonel Ofek Buharis of raping her will retract her accusation?” Moshe Feiglin asked on Tuesday. “What if she says that the whole thing was made up?”

“Until then,” Feiglin answered, “Buharis and his family will live in hell, we will all lose out on one of the very best officers in the IDF, Buharis will never be Chief of Staff – and the woman who brought all of this about will be immune from any type of prosecution.”

“Don’t rape allegations have to be investigated?” Feiglin queried. “Of course they do! It is unthinkable not to investigate. But former Chief Justice Edna Arbel introduced an insane amendment (Amendment 2.5) to Israel’s laws,” said Feiglin. “The amendment says that a person who makes a false accusation cannot be prosecuted. It is a weapon of destruction with no price tag attached. It is easy to use against any estranged husband whose wife wishes to be rid of him or against any senior official whose professional progress disturbs anonymous forces.

Any woman can suddenly remember an episode of sexual harassment and trigger a public, media and judicial crusade against the officer or senior official – and know that even if the man will ultimately be exonerated one hundred percent – nothing will happen to her.”

“Rape is like murder and sexual harassment must be uprooted from the source,” Feiglin concluded. “But as long as Amendment 2.5 is not annulled, we will witness more and more complaints – which somehow always come just a moment before the man in question is promoted.”