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IDF’s top lawyer quits; says she approved leak of detainee abuse video

47 27
yesterday

The military’s top lawyer, Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, announced her resignation from the Israel Defense Forces on Friday, acknowledging that she had approved the leaking of a surveillance video from the Sde Teiman detention facility, which purported to show soldiers severely abusing a Palestinian detainee last year.

Military Advocate General Tomer-Yerushalmi had been on leave from the IDF since a criminal investigation was launched by police earlier this week into the leaking of the surveillance video. She is expected to be questioned under caution in the coming days.

Tomer-Yerushalmi had prepared a resignation letter on Thursday, which she delivered to IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir during a meeting on Friday morning.

During their meeting, Tomer-Yerushalmi told Zamir that she was personally responsible for leaking the video to the media.

In her resignation letter, 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.”

“I bear full responsibility for any material that was released to the media from within the unit,” she said, adding that “from this responsibility also stems my decision to conclude my tenure as military advocate general.”

Before the announcement of her resignation, Defense Minister Israel Katz said that Tomer-Yerushalmi would be dismissed, although it is unclear if Katz has the authority to dismiss military officers.

“The military advocate general resigned, and rightly so,” Katz said in a later statement. “Anyone who spreads blood libels against IDF soldiers is not worthy of wearing the IDF uniform,” he added.

During her meeting with Zamir on Friday morning, Tomer-Yerushalmi asked to step down, the military said, adding that the chief of staff “accepted her request to end her position immediately and will act to stabilize the Military Advocate General and to protect IDF soldiers.”

“The chief of staff is confident that a thorough investigation will be conducted to uncover the truth,” the military added.

Earlier, Katz said Tomer-Yerushalmi “will not be able to return to her position in light of the........

© The Times of Israel