IDF Legal Chief Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi Resigns After Defense Minister’s Firing Attempt

In a dramatic escalation of the controversy surrounding the Sde Teiman abuse cases, IDF Military Advocate General Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi resigned Friday just an hour after Defense Minister Israel Katz attempted to fire her over her admitted role in leaking sensitive evidence to the media.

Her resignation, submitted in a letter acknowledging she approved the release of evidence, marks a seismic moment for Israel’s military legal establishment. “I take full responsibility for all of the evidence which was sent out to the media by this unit,” Tomer-Yerushalmi wrote. “Based on this responsibility, I have decided to conclude my role as the MAG.”

The crisis stems from the broader investigation into abuse of Palestinian detainees held at the Sde Teiman military base during the Israel-Hamas war. The facility originally a military base in the Negev was converted into a detention center for Gaza detainees under the Unlawful Combatants Law. Reports of beatings, sexual assault, and denial of medical care surfaced last summer, sparking outrage and eventually indictments of IDF reservists.

But the scandal grew even more complex when a surveillance video allegedly showing abuse was leaked to the media. While the content raised serious concerns about the conduct of soldiers, it now appears that the leak itself was authorized from within the IDF legal division an act that has upended the legal and political balance around the case.

Initially suspended by IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir, Tomer-Yerushalmi’s status changed rapidly after Katz declared she was fired, despite legal ambiguity over whether the defense minister had the authority to do so without consulting the chief of staff or Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara. Her swift resignation appears to have preempted a deeper power struggle between the military and political echelons.

Sources say Katz’s desire to fire her may have been motivated not just by the leak but by his interest in controlling her replacement. Typically, IDF chiefs lead such appointments with defense ministers offering approval. Katz’s aggressive intervention reflects the growing politicization of military appointments and judicial oversight.

Tomer-Yerushalmi’s departure has immediate implications for Israel’s ability to defend itself against international legal challenges, particularly at the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice, where she was leading Israel’s legal defense on allegations of war crimes.

The Sde Teiman scandal now threatens to undermine the integrity of both the prosecution of soldiers accused of abuse and the broader legal defense of the IDF. Right-wing activists and several MKs have attempted to paint the investigation as a political “blood libel,” while evidence remains strong that abuse did occur.

In one case, a reservist was sentenced to seven months in prison for repeated beatings of detainees. In a larger case, five soldiers face charges including sexual assault. The cases have been slowed, in part, due to the investigation into the leaked video and pressure from political activists who stormed military facilities in protest of the arrests.

The legal chaos has laid bare the tension between Israel’s military professionalism and the growing influence of partisan politics. Tomer-Yerushalmi’s resignation, while framed as an act of responsibility, opens new questions: Will others in her office face charges? Will the abuse cases continue without interference? And what precedent does this set for military transparency?

What is clear is that the fallout from Sde Teiman will shape civil-military relations, Israel’s legal standing abroad, and the domestic debate over justice, accountability, and the rule of law for months to come.

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