Yifat Yerushalmi Tomer

Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi (; born 1974) is an Israeli major general who served as the Israel Defense Forces' chief military advocate from 1 September 2021 to 31 October 2025. She was the second woman in the history of the IDF to hold this rank. Previously, she served as the gender affairs advisor to the chief of staff of the IDF.

Early life and education The advisor for gender affairs Yifat Tomer Yerushalmi at the IDF General Staff Forum on International Women's Day, 8 March 2021. Tomer-Yerushalmi grew up in Netanya.

Military career During her military service, she held various positions in the Military Advocate General's Corps, including: senior assistant to the chief military prosecutor, legal assistant to the chief military prosecutor, Menachem Finkelstein, deputy prosecutor of the Central Command, head of Legal Supervision Branch, and head of Legislation and Communication Branch.

As assistant to the chief military prosecutor, she was involved in formulating legal opinions regarding the 1997 Israeli helicopter disaster and the Ansariya ambush.

In this role she handled major legal issues, including: the legal implications of the Second Intifada, handling conscientious objectors and more. As the Advisor for Gender Affairs, Tomer-Yerushalmi focuses on promoting gender equality, ensuring a safe and respectful service environment, and preventing sexual harassment in the IDF. During her tenure, she initiated the establishment of the "Metsapim" center, which opened in October 2020, dealing with the integration of parenthood and service, providing support and guidance for regular service members during pregnancy and early parenthood stages, as well as during fertility treatments.

On 1 September 2021 she entered the role of chief military advocate, was promoted to the rank of major general, becoming the second female major general in the history of the IDF, after Orna Barbivai, and the first woman to head the Military Advocate General's Corps.

Resignation On 31 October 2025, Tomer-Yerushalmi resigned from her post after admitting she was responsible for leaking a classified surveillance video to the media. The leak and the video generated significant political backlash.

The leaked footage showed soldiers at the Sde Teiman facility taking a detainee aside and surrounding him with riot shields to block visibility. Reports indicated that the detainee was subsequently stabbed in the rectum with a sharp object, an act characterized by some sources as sexual assault or sodomy; the alleged stabbing was not shown in the film. The detainee reportedly suffered serious injuries and required hospitalization because of the alleged abuse. Following an investigation into the incident, five Israeli reserve soldiers were charged with aggravated abuse and causing serious bodily harm; they denied the charges.

On 2 November, the IDF stated that Tomer-Yerushalmi had gone missing. Search efforts focused on Hatzuk Beach in Tel Aviv. At the time, she was scheduled to be questioned as part of the criminal investigation into the leak. She was found alive at a beach in Herzliya after several hours, with police, military, and rescue forces participating in her search. She was arrested by police later that night, along with former IDF prosecutor Matan Solomesh. On 7 November, she was released to ten days of house arrest. Her missing phone was recovered by civilians on Hatzuk Beach and turned in to the police that same day. On 9 November, she was admitted to the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center after reportedly overdosing on pills, although her condition was thought to be stable. Police Commissioner Daniel Levi confirmed that she had attempted suicide.

She was discharged from the hospital in early December; her house arrest ended while she was hospitalized.

In May 2026, IDF Chief of Staff decided to formally dismiss Tomer-Yerushalmi from military service, which would strip her of eligibility for financial benefits normally granted to discharged senior officers.

Personal life Tomer-Yerushalmi is married and a mother of three children. She resides in Ramat HaSharon.

Articles written Y. Tomer-Yerushalmi, R. Polyak, Military Investigation Immunity, in Menachem Finkelstein's Book – Law, Security and Book, p. 169 (Nevo Publishing), 2020 Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, Vision for Equality in the IDF, Israel Hayom, 8 March 2020