Police say associates of ex-military advocate general maintaining ‘bond of silence’

During a hearing on extending the remand of former military advocate general Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, a police representative tells the Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court that suspicions against her have strengthened considerably, Hebrew media outlets report.

“At all times, there is this bond of silence in the suspect’s close surroundings regarding the leak investigation, and we are trying to break this bond of silence,” says the representative.

She further reveals that police seized the ex-legal official’s smartwatch during a search of her home and scanned its contents after Tomer-Yerushalmi gave them the password.

After resigning and admitting that she had leaked a video appearing to show soldiers abusing a Gazan detainee at the Sde Teiman detention facility, Tomer-Yerushalmi went missing for hours Sunday, leading police to fear she had attempted suicide. Once she was located, police arrested her on the spot, but were unable to find her phone, raising suspicions that she tried to dispose of digital evidence related to the leaking and its subsequent cover-up.

Dori Klagsbald, the lawyer for Tomer-Yerushalmi, says the leak investigation is being conducted in “an atmosphere of mass hysteria” and warns of incitement against his client.

“There are people from ZAKA diving on the Tel Aviv beach, people that are scanning the beach voluntarily with metal detectors,” he says.

“When Yifat was found, one person in the media tweeted: ‘The lynching can continue,'” Klagsbald adds, referring to Channel 14’s Yinon Magal, who tweeted these words Sunday evening after her arrest.

A judge is currently deliberating whether to extend the detention of former chief military prosecutor Col. Matan Solomosh, who was arrested the same night as Tomer-Yerushalmi on suspicion he assisted her in obstructing the probe. Police are requesting he remain in custody until tomorrow.