Israel’s top military lawyer, Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, has resigned after admitting that she was responsible for leaking a video purportedly showing Israeli soldiers abusing Palestinian detainees during the Gaza conflict.
Tomer-Yerushalmi, who has been on leave since police launched a criminal probe into the leak, submitted her resignation to IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir on Friday. She is expected to be questioned under caution in the coming days.
In her resignation letter, cited by The Times of Israel, Tomer-Yerushalmi wrote:
“I approved the release of material to the media in an attempt to counter the false propaganda directed against the military law enforcement authorities.”
She added, “I bear full responsibility for any material that was released to the media from within the unit. From this responsibility also stems my decision to conclude my tenure as military advocate general.”
Following her resignation, Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that Tomer-Yerushalmi would not be reinstated.
“I have decided that Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi will not return to her position. I will ensure that justice is served,” Katz wrote on X, formerly Twitter. He added that “given the seriousness of the suspicions and the sensitivity of the role responsible for enforcing the law across the IDF, there is no room for her reinstatement.”
As many as 1700 Gaza prisoners were freed as part of the ceasefire in exchange for 20 Israeli hostages.
