Major-General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, the Israeli military’s top lawyer, has resigned after admitting to leaking a disturbing video showing the gang rape of a Palestinian prisoner at the Sde Teiman prison facility. The footage went public in August 2023 during a right-wing backlash against the arrest of soldiers accused of the crime. Tomer-Yerushalmi claimed that the pressure from right-wing groups regarding the ongoing rape investigation influenced her decision to release the video, asserting that it was an attempt to counteract what she termed “false propaganda” directed at military law enforcement.
The video presented chilling evidence with soldiers seen manhandling a blindfolded Palestinian detainee, obscuring the assault with riot shields. The original indictment detailed extreme abuse, including kicking, hitting with clubs, tasering, and dragging the victim, which resulted in severe injuries, including a ruptured bowel and broken ribs. Medical reports revealed that the victim required surgery due to the extent of his injuries.
Following the incident, nine soldiers were arrested, but most were released shortly after. In February, charges were brought against the remaining few for “severely abusing” the detainee, though the gravest allegations of rape were not included in the final indictments. A United Nations commission has raised concerns about the downgrading of accusations, indicating that this could lead to lighter penalties if convictions occur.
The reaction from Israeli politicians has been mixed, with notable far-right figures, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu, openly supporting the accused soldiers. Their protests against accountability cast a shadow on the judicial process and contributed to a climate where calls for justice are viewed as unpatriotic.
After Tomer-Yerushalmi’s resignation, critics of the judicial system, including Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, condemned her actions while branding accusations against the military as corrupt or even anti-Semitic. Their public statements echoed broader support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s agenda to diminish the judiciary’s oversight power.
The Sde Teiman facility has been linked to further abuses, as documented in a recent UN report, which highlighted cases of severe human rights violations against Palestinian detainees, including sexual violence and torture. With at least 135 mutilated bodies recently returned to Palestinian authorities, many of which bore signs of torment, the grim realities of detention practices in Sde Teiman have drawn international condemnation and call for accountability.
As the trial concerning the abuse of the Palestinian prisoner continues, the situation remains a focal point in the discourse surrounding military conduct and human rights within the region. The fallout from these events signals ongoing tensions and the urgent need for justice and reform within Israel’s military and judicial systems to prevent future abuses.