IDF Unit Sues Top Officials for $5 Million Over Leaked Abuse Video

Fighters from the IDF's 'Force 100' unit, along with the legal organization Honenu, have filed a NIS 18 million (approximately $5 million) lawsuit against former Military Advocate General Yifat Tomer Yerushalmi, Channel 12 reporter Guy Peleg, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, and other entities including the IDF, Military Police, the Police, and the State. The suit, filed against a total of 17 defendants, stems from the controversial leak of a video depicting the alleged abuse of a terrorist in the Shdei Teiman detention facility.

The plaintiffs allege wrongful comparison, a publicized false arrest, leaking investigation materials, defamation through the publication of the video, and mistreatment during the subsequent criminal proceedings and the investigation into the leak itself. The lawsuit claims that the unit members were unfairly associated with the actions shown in the video and that the investigation into the leak was mishandled, leading to reputational damage and emotional distress.

Honenu stated that the lawsuit aims to hold accountable those responsible for the alleged misconduct and the subsequent handling of the affair, which they claim caused significant harm to the soldiers involved. The legal organization asserts that the soldiers were subjected to a public trial by media and that the investigation into the leak was conducted in a manner that further harmed their reputation.