As police continue searching for the missing phone of outgoing Military Advocate General (MAG) Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, investigators have received testimonies from within the IDF alleging improper conduct by senior officials in the military prosecution, particularly over the past two years.
Tomer-Yerushalmi, along with Col. Matan Solomesh — until recently the IDF’s chief military prosecutor — is set to appear in court for a detention hearing on Monday morning. Police are seeking a five-day extension of her remand.
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Outgoing Military Advocate General Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi
(Photo: Meir Even Haim, Shalev Shalom)
According to a source familiar with the case, investigators are now reviewing “sensitive and potentially embarrassing” information unrelated to the Sde Teiman abuse affair. Much of it, the source said, was found in text messages and digital correspondence between senior officers. “Not every problematic behavior is criminal, but if this material reaches police or leaks publicly, it could open a Pandora’s box that extends beyond the MAG Corps,” the source warned.
Senior legal officers within the IDF are expected to resign or be dismissed in the coming days, and several could face questioning by police as soon as Tuesday.
Following Tomer-Yerushalmi’s resignation, Defense Minister Israel Katz and IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir are under pressure to quickly appoint a replacement. Her deputy, Col. Gal Asael, is currently serving in an acting capacity.
Katz and Zamir reportedly agree that the next MAG should come from outside the current legal establishment. Zamir is said to favor Brig. Gen. (res.) Doron Ben-Barak, a former deputy MAG and current military censor, but Katz is reportedly opposed. The disagreement centers on whether the new appointee should come from within the legal system or be an external candidate.
Another idea under consideration is appointing a retired combat general with a basic legal background — similar to senior appointments in the IDF’s intelligence or logistics directorates. Such a move, supporters say, could help restore public trust in the military legal system and signal a full-scale restructuring of the MAG Corps.