Israel’s ex-military lawyer arrested over leak of prison abuse video

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.

Channel 12

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.

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