Arrest After High-Profile Resignation

The Israeli military video leak scandal has escalated rapidly, shaking Israel’s defense and legal institutions.
Major General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, former Military Advocate General of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), was arrested following her admission of responsibility for a leaked surveillance video showing abuse of a Palestinian detainee.

According to BBC News and Reuters, she resigned on Friday after acknowledging that she had approved the video’s release to the media. Days later, police launched a search when she was reported missing; she was found safe in Herzliya and then taken into custody.

The Leaked Footage That Shook Israel

At the heart of the Israeli military video leak scandal lies a disturbing clip first aired in August 2024 by an Israeli television channel.
It allegedly shows reserve soldiers at the Sde Teiman military base in southern Israel abusing a detainee.
The footage captures soldiers forming a shield wall with riot gear before allegedly beating and stabbing the prisoner with a sharp object.
The detainee was later hospitalized with severe injuries.

Five reservists were charged with aggravated abuse and causing serious bodily harm, though all deny wrongdoing. At a press conference outside Israel’s Supreme Court, four appeared in black balaclavas, claiming they faced a “biased and political legal process.”

According to Reuters, the footage was authenticated by Israeli authorities as part of an ongoing military investigation.

Political Fallout and Deep Divisions

The Sde Teiman incident has deepened Israel’s ideological divide.

• Right-wing politicians called the leak a betrayal of the IDF, branding it a “smear campaign” against soldiers fighting Hamas.

• Left-wing voices praised Tomer-Yerushalmi’s decision, calling it a rare moment of transparency in the military establishment.

After the footage went public, far-right protesters—including members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition—reportedly stormed the Sde Teiman base to show support for the accused soldiers.

Government Reaction: Condemnation and Control

Following Tomer-Yerushalmi’s resignation, Defense Minister Israel Katz condemned her actions, stating:

“Anyone spreading blood libels against IDF troops is unfit to wear the army uniform.”

Prime Minister Netanyahu called the scandal “perhaps the most severe public-relations attack Israel has faced since its founding.”

Authorities soon confirmed that both Tomer-Yerushalmi and Colonel Matan Solomosh, a former chief military prosecutor, were detained for unauthorized disclosure of classified materials.

The Detainee at the Center of the Scandal

Further details revealed that the Palestinian detainee shown in the footage was released to Gaza in October 2024 under a prisoner-exchange deal with Hamas.
The leak reignited international concern about the treatment of detainees in Israeli facilities, especially amid the Gaza conflict following the October 7 2023 attacks.

UN Experts and Human-Rights Concerns

Adding to the Israeli military video leak scandal, UN investigators accused Israel of sexual and gender-based violence against Palestinian detainees—acts amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
A UN Commission of Inquiry report (October 2024) documented systematic abuse, torture, and psychological violence affecting thousands of Gaza detainees.

Israel’s government rejected the findings, insisting it remains “fully committed to international law” and conducts “thorough investigations” into all credible complaints.

A Crisis of Trust Within Israel’s Military System

The arrest of a senior officer like Tomer-Yerushalmi underscores a deep crisis of confidence within Israel’s defense structure.
Her decision to release the footage—stated in her resignation letter as an effort to counter “false propaganda”—reveals the conflict between military secrecy and public accountability.

Analysts warn that the Israeli military video leak scandal may erode public trust in Israel’s legal oversight and widen the country’s social polarization.

Global Reaction and Calls for Accountability

Global watchdogs have called for transparency and justice.
Human-rights groups demand independent monitoring of detention centers, while diplomats warn the scandal could strain Israel’s relations with Western allies amid ongoing criticism of its actions in Gaza.

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Conclusion: Justice or Political Weapon?

The Israeli military video leak scandal is more than a legal controversy—it mirrors the ethical conflicts of wartime governance.
Whether Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi is remembered as a whistleblower or traitor will depend on how Israel defines justice under global scrutiny.

Until then, the leaked video remains a symbol of accountability and the tension between truth, power, and public trust.