Israeli Supreme Court Temporarily Halts Transfer of Military Advocate General Investigation to State Attorney

The Israeli Supreme Court has temporarily frozen the transfer of the investigation into the Military Advocate General (MAG) and the leak of a video to State Attorney Amit Isman. This decision was made by Justice Daphne Barak-Erez "as a precaution" until further notice, just two weeks after the court had approved the transfer. The freeze follows a request for an additional hearing submitted by the original petitioners, including MK Avichai Boaron, the "We Chose Life" movement, and the Lavi Association.

The case involves the leak of investigation materials related to the Shde Teiman affair. Previously, the court ruled that Isman could oversee the investigation after examining potential conflicts of interest. However, the petitioners sought further judicial review and additional investigative actions, which the court declined to mandate, stating it would not direct police investigative steps.

The court was divided on whether an external supervisory figure was necessary. Justices Yitzhak Amit and Khaled Kabub supported Isman's involvement, while Justice David Mintz dissented, advocating for the appointment of an independent overseer due to the sensitive nature of the allegations against the MAG chief, which include leaking investigation materials and providing false information to the Supreme Court.

The investigation remains in limbo pending the outcome of the additional hearing request. Meanwhile, the controversy has eroded public trust, especially after the indictment against the elite Unit 100 soldiers was dropped and the former MAG chief admitted involvement in the leak. Unit 100 members and their lawyers are considering further protests and legal actions to keep the issue in the public eye, emphasizing the need for public support.

The police have indicated that the MAG investigation has been narrowed and that some lines of inquiry remain unexplored. The duration of the court-ordered freeze and the final decision on the transfer remain uncertain.