Top Israeli Military Lawyers Arrested; Reservists Charged

Israel arrested former military advocate general Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer‑Yerushalmi and former chief military prosecutor Col. Matan Solomosh after Tomer‑Yerushalmi resigned and admitted authorising the leak of footage that appears to show soldiers abusing a blindfolded Palestinian detainee at the Sde Teiman detention camp; Tomer‑Yerushalmi briefly disappeared, was later found on a beach and detained. The footage, first broadcast in August 2024, prompted international outrage and has led prosecutors to charge five reservists with aggravated abuse and causing serious injury related to the underlying incident. Authorities have accused Tomer‑Yerushalmi and Solomosh of offences including fraud, breach of trust, abuse of office, obstruction of justice and unauthorised disclosure, and a court has remanded them in custody pending further investigation. The arrests have sharpened domestic political tensions, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and right‑wing figures denouncing the leak as a grave public‑relations attack while opposition parties and human‑rights groups say the focus should remain on alleged detainee abuse. Masked reservists have protested outside the Supreme Court denying the charges, and officials say the probe is ongoing as the wider Gaza war and hostage issues continue to shape the national debate.