Chief Military Advocate Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi Resigns Following “Yemeni Field” Video Leak Scandal

Chief Military Advocate General (MAG) Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi submitted her resignation to Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir on Friday morning, amid mounting suspicions that she approved the leak of a video documenting the abuse of a Gazan detainee at the IDF’s Yemeni Field detention site.

“I approved the release of material to the media in an attempt to counter false propaganda against IDF law enforcement,” Tomer-Yerushalmi admitted in her letter.
“I bear full responsibility for any material released from within the unit. My decision to resign stems from that responsibility.”

According to senior law enforcement sources, she is expected to be questioned under caution in the coming days on suspicion of forgery, obstruction of justice, submitting false information to the court, breach of trust, and other offenses under the Military Justice Law, which carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison.

Admission of Responsibility and Criticism of the System

In her resignation letter, Tomer-Yerushalmi defended her decision to investigate the alleged abuse of a Gazan detainee at the Yemeni Field base near Beersheba:

“It is our duty to investigate when there is a reasonable basis for suspecting violence against a detainee,” she wrote.
“Unfortunately, the insight that some acts are forbidden—even against the most despicable detainees—is no longer shared by all.”

She said that for the past two years she had worked to “defend the Military Prosecution from a campaign of delegitimization”, citing personal threats and harassment of officers in her unit.

Katz: “She Will Not Return to Her Position”

Before the meeting with the Chief of Staff, Defense Minister Yisrael Katz announced that Tomer-Yerushalmi “will not return to her post”, citing “the seriousness of the suspicions.”
Katz added that he would soon begin the process of appointing a replacement:

“I will ensure justice is served to everyone who took part in the blood libel against IDF soldiers in the Yemeni Field Affair.”

The IDF clarified that her resignation will not affect operational decision-making, since field legal advisers continue to approve strikes and operations. Nonetheless, Zamir stressed the need to fill the MAG position immediately, possibly by appointing a former military advocate as an interim replacement.

Any candidate, sources said, will require approval from Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara to avoid conflicts of interest.

A Scandal Shaking the Military Legal System

The Yemeni Field Affair began in July 2024 when Military Police investigators raided a base used as a temporary detention facility for Gazans during the war.
Eleven reservists were detained on suspicion of abusing a Palestinian detainee, five of whom were later indicted for severe assault, aggravated abuse, and use of a Taser while the detainee was handcuffed and blindfolded.
The victim suffered broken ribs, a punctured lung, and internal bleeding.

In August 2024, Channel 12 broadcast a video of the abuse, which the IDF later claimed was edited in a misleading way. The leak triggered public outrage and mass protests near IDF bases and the home of the Military Police chief.

Following the broadcast, Bereaved Families from the “Choose Life” organization petitioned the High Court of Justice, demanding an inquiry into the source of the leak. The petition claimed that the disclosure endangered soldiers and damaged Israel’s international reputation.

Criminal Investigation and Political Fallout

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara confirmed earlier this week that a criminal investigation had been opened after “new information” suggested possible involvement by elements within the Military Advocate’s Office in leaking the footage.

Investigators are examining whether the MAG’s office “whitewashed” earlier internal probes and misled the High Court when it claimed that all leads had been exhausted.

The leak also ignited political controversy:
In July 2024, after the IDF raid on the Yemeni Field base, hundreds of protesters stormed the site, including coalition MKs Nissim Vaturi (Likud), Zvi Sukkot (Religious Zionism), and Minister Amichai Eliyahu (Otzma Yehudit).
The three were later summoned for questioning for allegedly obstructing an official investigation. Sukkot, who had previously refused to appear, said this week that he now intends to cooperate.

Analysis: A Blow to Military Credibility

Tomer-Yerushalmi’s resignation marks one of the most dramatic crises in the history of Israel’s military legal system, exposing tensions between the IDF’s professional legal corps and political figures seeking to limit its authority.

For now, the IDF faces the dual challenge of restoring public trust and ensuring independent oversight of sensitive war-related investigations — even as it prepares for new legal scrutiny over operations in Gaza.