Maj. Gen. (res.) Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, the Israeli military’s recently resigned Military Advocate General, was located alive and well Sunday evening following an intensive hours-long search along Tel Aviv’s northern coastline. Police confirmed she was found in good health and transferred for medical evaluation, ending a frantic operation that mobilized helicopters, flares, and ground units after her abandoned car was discovered near Hatzuk (Cliff) Beach.
The 54-year-old former top legal officer—Israel’s second-ever female major general—had been unreachable since morning, sparking widespread concern. Her vehicle was found with the engine running and a personal letter inside, reportedly suggesting suicidal intent, according to Hebrew media outlets including KAN and Channel 12. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir personally directed the military to deploy “all available means” in the hunt, remaining in direct contact with Police Commissioner Danny Levy.
Tomer-Yerushalmi’s disappearance came just 48 hours after submitting her resignation on October 31, amid a criminal probe into her admitted role in leaking surveillance footage from the controversial Sde Teiman detention facility. The video, aired on Channel 12 in August 2024, purportedly showed reservists severely abusing a Palestinian detainee, including allegations of sexual assault so brutal the victim required hospitalization and could not walk. In her resignation letter, she took “full responsibility,” stating she authorized the release to “counter false propaganda” against IDF investigators after far-right protesters stormed bases to block arrests of the accused soldiers.
The leak ignited global outrage, with UN inquiries labeling detainee treatment at Sde Teiman as potential “war crimes” involving systematic torture. Defense Minister Israel Katz had vowed to strip her of rank, calling the footage a “blood libel” against troops, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described it as “the most serious propaganda blow” to Israel since 1948.
Hours after she was found, police arrested Tomer-Yerushalmi and her former chief military prosecutor, Col. Matan Solomesh, for questioning in the leak investigation—led by the elite Lahav 433 unit. Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara rejected calls from Justice Minister Yariv Levin to recuse herself, insisting the probe proceeds independently despite political fury.
The saga has exposed deep rifts: hardline ministers like Itamar Ben-Gvir defended the accused soldiers as “heroes,” while rights groups hailed the leak as evidence of unchecked abuse. Five reservists face indictments for severe injury, including broken ribs and rectal tearing.
Tomer-Yerushalmi, a 30-year veteran who coordinated IDF defenses at the ICC and ICJ, ends her tenure under a cloud—but alive. An IDF spokesperson praised the “swift resolution,” urging privacy for her family.
