Israel’s chief military legal officer resigned after authorizing the release of a video that later became part of a criminal abuse investigation involving Palestinian detainees. Her exit shows a clash inside Israel’s military and political system over handling detainee abuse allegations during the Gaza war and maintaining legal accountability under public and political pressure.
Major-General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi said she approved leaking the footage to counter claims that the military’s legal system was shielding soldiers. The video, from the Sde Teiman detention site, showed troops surrounding a detainee and obstructing cameras while handling a dog. After it aired, five soldiers faced criminal charges. The inquiry triggered protests by right-wing groups who criticized investigations against troops, and demonstrators even entered military bases to disrupt questioning.
The defense minister said she was placed on forced leave while the probe into the leak continued. In her resignation letter, she stated that detainees included militants involved in the October 7 attack but insisted that even the worst offenders cannot be subjected to prohibited treatment. She warned that this principle no longer convinces everyone in the current climate.
Politicians on the right condemned her actions. Senior ministers argued the military’s legal wing was smearing soldiers and demanded further probes into legal authorities. Some used the moment to reinforce hard-line policies, including public calls for the death penalty for captured militants. Rights groups have long raised concerns about the mistreatment of Palestinian detainees, while the military says it investigates cases and does not tolerate systematic abuse.
The episode reflects intensifying internal divisions in Israel during the Gaza conflict: between military oversight and nationalist demands, between legal accountability and calls to shield troops from scrutiny, and between international expectations and domestic politics.
