Israel’s top military legal officer Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, who resigned last week, has been arrested over the leak of a video showing soldiers brutally assaulting a Palestinian detainee at the Sde Teiman military prison.
Israeli police detained outgoing Military Advocate General Major-General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi and retired Colonel Matan Solomesh, the army’s former chief military prosecutor, as part of an ongoing investigation into the unauthorised release of classified footage showing the abuse of a Palestinian detainee in southern Israel.
According to Israel’s public broadcaster KAN, Tomer-Yerushalmi was arrested on suspicion of obstruction of justice and breach of trust. Police accuse her of leaking the footage to the media, lying to senior military officials and the Supreme Court, and providing false testimony during the inquiry. The Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court has extended her detention by three days. Judge Shelly Kotin said the allegations involve fraud, abuse of power, and disclosure of information by a public servant, adding that her continued custody was warranted.
KAN also reported that messages and testimony suggest Solomesh knew Tomer-Yerushalmi was behind the leak but failed to disclose it during an internal probe. His detention was extended for five days.
Tomer-Yerushalmi’s resignation on Friday marked the end of her term that began in 2021, following weeks of controversy over the leak. In her resignation letter to Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, published by Haaretz, she admitted authorising the material’s release “to counter false propaganda against the military law-enforcement system,” taking “full responsibility” for what was published.
The video, aired by Israel’s N12 News in August 2024, showed Israeli soldiers surrounding a handcuffed Palestinian detainee lying face-down and beating him with riot shields. The prisoner, whose identity was not revealed, was later hospitalised with severe injuries.
In February, military prosecutors charged five soldiers with assault, saying they had beaten the detainee on 5 July 2024, causing multiple fractures and internal rectal tearing. A court imposed a gag order on their identities, and they remain free under no restrictive conditions.
The footage, filmed inside the Sde Teiman detention facility, triggered local and international outrage and renewed calls for its closure. Rights groups have long alleged mistreatment of Palestinians held there, while the army maintains that such incidents are isolated and under investigation.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that the Sde Teiman incident was “the most damaging” to Israel’s image and that of its army. Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed that Tomer-Yerushalmi would not return to her post, citing “the gravity of the suspicions,” while far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said she was being kept under strict supervision in custody “for her own safety.”
Tomer-Yerushalmi’s case has divided public opinion in Israel, with right-wing politicians portraying her as disloyal, while others argue her actions exposed serious ethical lapses within the ranks of the military.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has signed a series of trade and cooperation agreements with China during his four-day visit to Beijing, the first...
The International Atomic Energy Agency has secured a temporary agreement between Russia and Ukraine to allow repairs on the last backup power line at ...
Lithuanian prosecutors have charged six foreign nationals with terrorism over an alleged plot to attack a private military supplier providing aid to U...
British Justice Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy arrived in Ukraine’s capital on Friday to attend the 100-Year Partnership Forum and ...
President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social on Thursday that Iran had cancelled more than 800 executions that were scheduled to take place....
Russian President Vladimir Putin held separate calls with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on 16 January, offering Russia’s help to mediate tensions and promote dialogue in the Middle East.
President Donald Trump announced Thursday evening that the long-awaited “Board of Peace” to oversee Gaza’s reconstruction has officially been formed.
Israel said on Thursday that its forces struck Hezbollah positions across several areas in Lebanon after accusing the group of repeated ceasefire violations.
Hamas is set to cede power in Gaza, as a U.S.-backed Palestinian committee prepares to take over the administration of the territory, Palestinian sources reported.
At least four people were injured after a large fire and explosions hit a residential building in the Dutch city of Utrecht, authorities said.
A crane collapse at a construction site near Bangkok has killed two people and injured five others on Thursday, Thai police said, a day after a separate crane accident derailed a train in northeastern Thailand, killing dozens.
Ukraine has declared a state of emergency in its energy sector after sustained Russian attacks severely damaged power and heating infrastructure, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Wednesday.
A railway power outage in Tokyo disrupted the morning commute for roughly 673,000 passengers on Friday (16 January) as two main lines with some of the world's busiest stations were halted after reports of a fire.
Iran reopened its airspace late on Wednesday after a near five-hour closure that disrupted airline traffic, amid heightened concerns over possible military escalation involving the United States.
Kazakhstan has begun recalibrating its oil export logistics amid ongoing restrictions affecting the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), a vital conduit for the country’s crude supplies to global markets.
Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last shah, has called for support for protesters seeking to overthrow Iran’s government. Speaking at a press conference in Washington on 16 January, Pahlavi outlined plans to return to Iran and called for action against the country’s Revolutionary Guards.
The Turkish Defence Ministry has voiced its support for recent military operations by Syrian government forces against the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which enjoy the support of the United States.
Uzbekistan plans to establish production facilities in Qatar as part of a strategy to expand exports and strengthen its presence in Gulf markets.
Georgia’s ruling party has launched a formal legal challenge against the BBC, accusing the British public broadcaster of spreading false, defamatory, and politically charged allegations.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment