Israeli military police has opened an investigation into an army general suspected of receiving money in exchange for helping a female soldier get a more desirable posting, the army confirmed Friday.
Until the investigation is complete, the suspect, Brig. Gen. Nehemia Sokol, will remain on leave, the Israel Defense Forces said.
Sokol currently serves as chief of staff of the army’s Technology and Logistics Directorate, though he is due to leave the IDF in the coming months.
He was questioned by the IDF Military Police’s investigations unit on Thursday, the army said. Channel 2 news broke the story about the case on Wednesday.
According to the television report, Sokol’s son held a party at a villa owned by the father of the female soldier’s boyfriend.
At the party, the villa owner asked Sokol to help his son’s girlfriend move to a different unit. And indeed, a short while later she was transferred to serve in the army’s Tel Aviv headquarters.
Afterwards, when Sokol’s son went to pay the $675 (NIS 2,500) he owed for the rental, the villa’s owner gave him a $270 (NIS 1,000) discount, according to Channel 2 news.
Sokol reportedly said he was unaware that his son had not been required to pay the full cost for the rental, and denied the allegations that he obtained the transfer for the female soldier.
