Israeli Defense Minister Orders Revocation of Benefits for Dismissed Military Legal Officer

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Katz has instructed Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir to immediately revoke all rights and benefits granted to dismissed military legal officer Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi. This directive follows revelations that the IDF had approved retirement benefits worth millions of shekels for Tomer-Yerushalmi despite her involvement in a serious criminal investigation. Katz condemned the decision to grant her such benefits, calling it unacceptable given the severity of the allegations against her, which include submitting false affidavits to the Supreme Court and covering up an investigation into the leaking of a sensitive military video.

The controversy intensified after the State Comptroller, Michal Abadi-Boiangiu, halted part of the payments due to concerns over the propriety of awarding generous retirement terms to an officer dismissed amid a criminal probe. Katz criticized Tomer-Yerushalmi for damaging the reputation of IDF soldiers during wartime by allegedly fabricating claims against them to protect Hamas terrorists. He emphasized that her offenses are among the most serious in IDF history, especially since she led the military law enforcement system at the time.

Katz also expressed frustration with the civilian judicial system for delays in advancing the criminal case against Tomer-Yerushalmi, which he said prevents further punitive measures such as imprisonment or rank reduction. He highlighted that the military prosecutor who replaced her canceled the trial against soldiers involved in the "Field of Yemen" case, calling this a necessary correction but insufficient to close the matter. Katz demanded exhausting all legal avenues against her and warned against any decisions that might ease her conditions before the case concludes.

The IDF has already reduced some of her retirement benefits, excluding certain "Chief of Staff enhancements," but significant payments remain under dispute. Zamir maintains that his decisions were within his authority, but Katz’s firm stance signals a zero-tolerance approach toward officials implicated in serious misconduct. The ongoing legal and administrative proceedings continue to unfold amid public and governmental scrutiny.