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Major General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, the chief legal officer for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), has announced she is stepping down from her post amid a growing scandal involving the leak of a controversial video. The footage allegedly shows Israeli soldiers abusing a Palestinian detainee at the Sde Teiman detention facility, a site that has drawn scrutiny from human rights organizations.
The resignation follows Tomer-Yerushalmi's admission that she personally authorized the release of the sensitive video to the media. In a statement, she explained her decision was intended to demonstrate that the military's law enforcement system was proactively investigating the allegations and to counter what she called "false propaganda" against the IDF. She argued the move was meant to show transparency and prove that such incidents were not being ignored. However, the leak backfired, causing what some officials have described as a severe public relations crisis for Israel on the international stage.
The fallout prompted a swift response, with Israeli authorities launching a criminal investigation. Initially focused on the unauthorized leak itself, the probe has reportedly shifted to examine whether Tomer-Yerushalmi obstructed justice by allegedly providing false or misleading information to investigators. The unfolding controversy surrounding the top military lawyer has highlighted deep divisions within Israel's establishment over military conduct and accountability.
Tomer-Yerushalmi, the first woman to hold the rank of Major General in the IDF and serve as Military Advocate General, was questioned under caution as part of the inquiry. Her justification for the leak, aimed at portraying military accountability, failed to prevent the political and legal storm that led to her departure. The case has raised complex questions about the lines between transparency, national security, and due process, culminating in the downfall of one of the country's most senior legal figures. The probe into potential obstruction of justice remains active as military and civilian authorities continue to manage the repercussions of the video's release.
