Former Top Israeli Military Lawyer Arrested Amid Abuse Video Leak Scandal
The former chief military prosecutor and the ex-Military Advocate General of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) were arrested today following a tumultuous week involving the leak of a video allegedly depicting the abuse of a Palestinian detainee and the subsequent resignation of the Advocate General.
Major General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi resigned on Friday, taking full responsibility for the leak of the surveillance footage, which surfaced in August 2024. The video, filmed at the Sde Teiman military base in southern Israel, reportedly shows reserve soldiers allegedly beating and assaulting a detainee. Five reservists have been charged with aggravated abuse and causing serious bodily harm, though they maintain their innocence. Yesterday, Tomer-Yerushalmi was briefly reported missing, prompting a large-scale search before she was found safe and taken into custody. Col Matan Solomosh, the former chief military prosecutor, was also arrested.
Tomer-Yerushalmi stated she released the material “in an attempt to counter false propaganda against the army’s law enforcement authorities,” referencing claims by some right-wing political figures that the abuse allegations were fabricated. Defense Minister Israel Katz strongly condemned her actions, stating, “Anyone who spreads blood libels against IDF troops is unfit to wear the army’s uniform.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the incident as “perhaps the most severe public relations attack that the State of Israel has experienced since its establishment.” This case has intensified existing divisions within Israel regarding the treatment of Palestinian detainees, a topic of ongoing scrutiny by organizations like Human Rights Watch.
The arrests follow a criminal investigation into the video’s leak, and come amid a highly polarized debate. Four of the reservists appeared at a news conference outside the Supreme Court in Jerusalem, with their lawyer, Adi Keidar of Honenu, claiming they were subject to a “faulty, biased and completely cooked-up legal process.” The Sde Teiman incident echoes broader concerns raised by a UN commission of inquiry last October, alleging widespread abuse of Palestinian detainees.
Police have indicated further investigations are underway, and the legal proceedings against both the reservists and those involved in the leak are expected to continue.
