Right-wing Protesters Rally Outside Home of Former IDF Top Lawyer, Demand Imprisonment Over Abuse Video Leak

Around 100 demonstrators protested outside the home of the Israeli military’s former top lawyer on Saturday, after her release to ten days of house arrest over the leak of a video showing Israeli soldiers abusing a Palestinian detainee at a detention facility last year.

The protest against former Military Advocate General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, held under the slogan, “Not House Arrest – Prison,” was organized by several right-wing groups, including Im Tirtzu and The Reservists – Generation of Victory.

The protesters held signs against the former top lawyer with slogans such as “straight to solitary,” “go to prison.” They also held up Israel flags and flags with emblems of right-wing parties Otzma Yehudit and Likud.

The rally in central Israel’s Ramat Hasharon was initially held 100 meters (330 feet) away from her private residence. As the rally went on, some protesters pushed closer to her residence, leading police to declare it an illegal protest. Police confiscated one megaphone, arrested one demonstrator and forcibly removed protesters who were blocking the street.

Matan Asher, a spokesperson for Im Tirtzu, told Haaretz that the police instructed organizers to change the location of the protest, in accordance with a practice based on a 2017 Supreme Court ruling that allows certain restrictions on demonstrations outside the homes of public officials.

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On Friday, the court decided to release Tomer-Yerushalmi for ten days of house arrest following a police request and with the defense’s consent. The police also requested that the former top legal adviser, who participated in the hearing through Zoom, be forbidden from contacting other suspects in the investigation until December 31.

A mobile device – said by a police official to belong to Tomer-Yerushalmi – was found on a beach in central Israel’s Herzliya, where the legal adviser went missing for hours before she was found.

Meanwhile, Israel’s High Court of Justice announced it would discuss by Tuesday the question of who would oversee the investigation into the leak.

Tomer-Yerushalmi, suspected of fraud and breach of trust, abuse of office, obstruction of justice and disclosure of official information by a public servant, admitted to her involvement in the leak and announced her resignation last week.