Israeli Military Prosecutor Resigns Amid Video Leak Investigation

Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, Israel's Military Advocate General, resigned on Friday after admitting to leaking a video that allegedly shows soldiers assaulting a Palestinian detainee at the Sde Teiman detention facility. The footage, aired by Channel 12 in August 2024, purportedly depicts soldiers surrounding a detainee with riot shields and engaging in severe abuse.

In her resignation letter, Tomer-Yerushalmi stated that she authorized the leak to counter criticism that the military was lenient toward Palestinian detainees. She emphasized the military's duty to investigate credible allegations of detainee abuse.

The incident has sparked significant political backlash. Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that Tomer-Yerushalmi would not be reinstated and pledged further investigation into the leak.

The Sde Teiman facility has faced scrutiny from human rights organizations, which have reported instances of abuse and poor treatment of Palestinian detainees.

The investigation into the leak began after a senior official in the Military Advocate General’s Office confessed during a routine polygraph test. The information was subsequently relayed to the Attorney General, who ordered a criminal investigation.

Following her resignation, Tomer-Yerushalmi was reported missing, prompting a search operation. She was later found at a beach in Herzliya and subsequently arrested. Former IDF chief prosecutor Col. Matan Solomosh was also detained in connection with the leak.

The leaked video has intensified debates over the military's handling of detainee abuse allegations and the role of military legal authorities in Israel.