IDF Judge Advocate-General Avihu Mandelblit decided on Thursday to appeal last month's military tribunal decision not to demote former defense ministe
By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
IDF Judge Advocate-General Avihu Mandelblit decided on Thursday to appeal last month's military tribunal decision not to demote former defense minister Maj.-Gen. (res.) Yitzhak Mordechai.
According to the IDF Spokesman's Office, Mandelblit based his decision to appeal on two issues: the failure of the three-member tribunal to consider the serious nature of Mordechai's sexual misconduct crimes, and the tribunal's failure to take into account the need to uphold the public's trust in the army and senior military officers.
On September 8, the special tribunal rejected a request by Mandelblit asking it to demote Mordechai, the only general ever to have commanded all three regional commands and the highest ranking officer convicted of sexual assault.
The panel was made up of three reserve generals: Elihu Vinograd, Yosef Tel-Raz and Aviezri Ya'ari. In summing up their decision, they said, "We believe that the general has been punished enough for his actions aside from the conviction and punishment meted out to him, the general retired from public office, his family status and economic situation were harmed."
Mandelblit's request will be reviewed in a special military appeals court.