IDF's Top Legal Officer Resigns After Army Chief Summons Her Over Gaza Detainee Abuse Video Leak - Israel News
Military Advocate General Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi resigned on Friday following her involvement in the so-called Sde Teiman affair, which centered on the leaked video depicting the alleged abuse of a Gazan detainee last year.
Earlier on Friday, Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that the IDF's top legal officer will not return to her position – after having been placed on leave – due to "the severity of the suspicions against her."
Shortly after Katz's announcement, Tomer-Yerushalmi met with IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and submitted her resignation. Katz then issued another statement, welcoming her decision, saying that "Anyone who spreads blood libels against IDF troops is unfit to wear the army's uniform."
Legal sources told Haaretz that Tomer-Yerushalmi is expected to be questioned in the coming days under caution on suspicion of obstructing justice, providing false information to the court, misconduct, breach of trust and other offenses under the Military Justice Law, which carry a maximum sentence of three years in prison.
In her resignation letter, Tomer-Yerushalmi wrote that she authorized the release of materials to the media "in an attempt to debunk false propaganda against army law enforcement bodies. I take full responsibility for any material released...Assuming this responsibility also underlies my decision to step down as Chief Military Advocate General."
Tomer-Yerushalmi also addressed the army's decision from Wednesday to open an investigation into last year's leak of a video allegedly showing the abuse of a Gazan detainee in Sde Teiman.
"It is our duty to investigate whenever there is reasonable suspicion of acts of violence against a detainee," she wrote, adding, "Unfortunately, this basic principle, according to which there are acts that must not be committed against detainees, no longer convinces everyone."
"In the past two years, I have had to defend the [Military Advocate General] unit and its personnel against an improper and false campaign of delegitimization," she added. "Military Prosecution officers have been subjected to personal attacks, harsh insults and serious threats."
Tomer-Yerushalmi had been placed on leave on Wednesday following the army's announcement that five soldiers allegedly involved in the Sde Teiman affair had been arrested.
In his statement on Friday, Katz announced that he would soon appoint an acting Advocate General and begin the process of selecting a new permanent chief military prosecutor. "I will ensure that justice is served against anyone involved in the blood libel against IDF soldiers in the Sde Teiman affair," he added.
Legal sources told Haaretz that there is no information indicating that Tomer-Yerushalmi herself leaked the video, but rather that her subordinates may have done so. Investigators are looking into the possibility that she had prior knowledge of the leak, but at this time, she is not suspected of any criminal offenses.
The sources added that the investigation was launched based on newly obtained information, unlike other leaks that were not investigated.
The video, recorded at the Sde Teiman facility, was revealed in August 2024 by Channel 12 News. Following its publication, five IDF reservists were charged with aggravated abuse and causing serious bodily harm to a detainee.
According to the indictment, the five beat the detainee, dragged him across the floor, stepped on his body, and used a taser against him. One of the soldiers also allegedly stabbed the detainee in the buttocks, causing rectal injury. The detainee suffered broken ribs and a punctured lung, the indictment stated.
The court issued a gag order on the names of the defendants, who are currently not in custody or under any legal restrictions. After the investigation began, military police investigators raided Sde Teiman in July 2024, detaining 11 soldiers for interrogation.
Following the raid, dozens of protesters broke into the base, located in southern Israel. Among the protesters were MK Nissim Vaturi from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party, far-right Religious Zionism MK Zvi Sukkot and far-right Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu from the National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's Otzma Yehudit party.
Sukkot was summoned for questioning for the second time this week, after he refused to appear the previous time. He stated that he intended to appear for questioning this time. Vaturi and Eliyahu were summoned for questioning in May, but did not appear.