Israeli police have arrested former Major General and army prosecutor Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi after a video showing Israeli soldiers torturing a Palestinian prisoner went viral. The video sparked outrage, leading to her resignation and disappearance prior to arrest. The footage shows soldiers isolating a detainee and using a dog while concealing their actions. The arrest has caused a “political and legal storm” in Israel. Since October 7, 2023, at least 75 Palestinian prisoners have died in Israeli custody.
Israeli police have detained a former military prosecutor following the release of a video that allegedly shows Israeli soldiers torturing a Palestinian prisoner.
The former prosecutor, Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, who held the rank of Major General, was arrested on Monday night, according to Israel’s Minister of National Security.
Sources say the leaked video went viral online, sparking widespread criticism and outrage. In the aftermath of the controversy, Tomer-Yerushalmi resigned from her position and subsequently went missing.
The footage depicts soldiers taking a Palestinian detainee to a secluded area, surrounding him, and deploying a dog during the incident. They reportedly used riot control gear to conceal their actions, making it difficult for anyone to see what was happening.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the video leak, calling it “the most severe assault on Israel’s public image since the state’s founding.”
From Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, Al Jazeera correspondent Nour Odeh reported that the prosecutor’s arrest has ignited a “political and legal storm” in Israel, though the focus on her has diverted attention from the main issue.
According to United Nations data, at least 75 Palestinian prisoners have died in Israeli custody since October 7, 2023.