So, the former top military lawyer in Israel, Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, pulls a disappearing act, leaves a "vague" note, ditches her car by the beach, and the cops are like, "Hold up, this smells faker than a Kardashian's Instagram feed." Turns out, they think she was trying to deep-six her phone – you know, the one with the video allegedly showing soldiers gang-raping a Palestinian detainee. Give me a break.
Netanyahu’s all hot and bothered about the "enormous damage to Israel's public image." Please. As if the actual alleged gang-rape isn't the real problem here. It's like worrying about the paint job on a car while the engine's on fire.
The Usual Suspects
Of course, the leaked footage stirred up the usual suspects – the ultra-nationalists who were apparently miffed that anyone was even investigating the alleged gang-rape in the first place. Tomer-Yerushalmi claims she leaked the video to counter their pressure. Okay, so her solution to right-wing pressure is… to potentially obstruct justice? Makes perfect sense.
Five soldiers were eventually indicted for "severe abuse" – not rape, mind you – and their trial is ongoing. And they're already whining about the case being dropped. What a shock.
A Pattern of Impunity?
Here's the kicker: since the Gaza situation kicked off in October 2023, there's been a whole heap of accusations against Israeli prison authorities and the military – rape, starvation, torture, the works. The UN even found evidence of systematic sexual violence. I mean, an electrical probe to the anus? Inserting broomsticks? This ain't Abu Ghraib, this is some next-level sick stuff.
And what happens to these allegations? According to Action on Armed Violence, 88 percent of Israeli military investigations into alleged war crimes since October 2023 have either been closed or produced no findings. Coincidence? I think not. It spells out a "pattern of impunity" a mile wide.
But wait, maybe I'm being too harsh. Maybe Israel is diligently investigating these claims, and it's just a string of unfortunate coincidences that nothing ever comes of it. Yeah, and maybe pigs will fly outta my—nevermind.
The Question Nobody's Asking
Here's the real question: Why did she leak the video in the first place? Was it really to "counter pressure" from the far-right, or was there something else she was trying to bury? And if the video is so damaging to Israel's public image, why did it take a "staged suicide" for the story to really explode? Ex-Israeli army legal chief 'stages suicide' amid Palestinian prisoner rape scandal
