Stern raises ire saying he shredded anonymous complaints as IDF manpower chief

• Published date: 11 October 2021
• Author: GIL HOFFMAN
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

Stern, the coalition's leading candidate to head the Jewish Agency, made the comment in a radio interview about an anonymous sexual harassment complaint that was leveled against "R," the incoming head of the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency). People who have something to say about others should "do so openly," he said.

"We cannot support a culture of anonymous accusations – not at the expense of encouraging the complaint," Stern said.

A video of a female soldier complaining that Stern prohibited her from following through with a sexual harassment complaint aired later on Sunday on Channel 13.

"I was a soldier in Bahad 1 [the IDF's officer school] between '95-'97," the soldier, who identified as G, said in the video in an electronically altered voice.

"One of the NCOs tried to come on to me and sexually harass me," she said. "We were in the room, me, MK Elazar Stern, my personal commander and the NCO who tried to harass me. And [Stern said] in these words, 'If you talk about what went on in this room, if you mention what went on in this room or what the NCO tried to do, your days in the army will be dark and bitter. You will be the worst off in the entire world. You will no longer stay in the army.'"

"There are no such things in the world," Stern said in response to Channel 13's query. "There is not one case that I know, and I am sure that there may be some now, that are made up. If you say that I summoned them into the room, both the harasser and him, then they did address the issue. Again, it could be that the incident was not handled well," he said.

Stern added that he did not believe that he actually said those words to the soldier.

"The fact of the matter is that the incident was addressed. And I think the emphasis is on the treatment," he said.

Stern's office later issued an official response.

"Complaints brought before the Minister Stern were always treated. Furthermore, the army has a protocol for these complaints," the response read, referring to the fact that every unit has a person assigned to treating any gender based issues, including complaints of sexual misconduct.

"[Stern] has always acted, and does so to this today, to curb the phenomenon of sexual harrasment, and Stern does not remember this specific case."

Stern's comments drew harsh criticism and raised speculation about the viability of his candidacy for the chairmanship of the Jewish Agency. Sources close to Stern said he had sent the text of the interview and spoken to numerous people...