Israeli police arrested the military’s former top lawyer Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, the national security minister said on Monday, after she admitted leaking a video appearing to show soldiers abusing a Palestinian detainee.
Former advocate general Tomer-Yerushalmi disappeared for several hours on Sunday after announcing her resignation, triggering media speculation of a possible suicide attempt, but she was later detained.
According to a copy of her resignation letter published by Israeli media on Friday, Tomer-Yerushalmi has acknowledged that her office had released the video to the media last year during an international uproar over prisoner mistreatment.
Five reservists have been formally charged since the video was leaked in 2024. Among the charges they faced was using a “sharp object” to stab the detainee near the rectum.
In a social media post, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said: “It was agreed that in light of last night’s events, the prison service would act with extra vigilance to ensure the detainee’s safety in the detention centre”.