After Defense Minister Israel Katz prevented the military attorney General from speaking at an event, the military on Sunday issued a statement saying the decision was wrong.
Katz said earlier that Military Advocate General Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi should concentrate on her duties instead of speaking at a Bar Association event a year after she angered the government by revealing that an investigation was underway into a possible sexual assault of terrorists by soldiers in the reserves.
The investigation prompted members of the coalition to accuse the AG of political motivations. Five members of the IDF reserves were indicted for severe abuse of detainees although charges of sexual assault were not included.
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Tomer-Yerushalmi's participation in the event is scheduled for later this week. "IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir approved the participation of the military advocate due to the paramount importance of explaining IDF's efforts to uphold law and international law," the IDF said. "This explanation is particularly crucial during a period when the IDF faces false claims and accusations."
The IDF said further that the Military Advocate General’s statement at the conference "was expected to focus on how legal frameworks enable the IDF to conduct its operations against Hamas in accordance with the law, across the various fronts of the war, all in accordance with the provisions of international law. Throughout the war, the Military Advocate General’s Office, under the leadership of the Military Advocate General, has been working to assist the IDF and its commanders in achieving the objectives of the war."
Katz explained his decision by claiming that there was no room for IDF officers to express "argumentative and political" content at such a complex time and amid political controversy and the military should distance itself as much as possible from public disputes.