Netanyahu Calls IDF Video Leak Israel’s Biggest PR Crisis

JERUSALEM, Israel — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that the leak of a video allegedly showing the abuse of a Palestinian prisoner by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers is the “most serious public-relations attack” Israel has faced.

During a cabinet meeting, Netanyahu addressed the leak, which he claims has caused significant reputational damage to Israel and the IDF. He called for an “impartial inquiry” into the incident, which he described as highly concentrated and intense.

“This requires an independent and impartial inquiry, and I expect that such an investigation will indeed take place,” Netanyahu said.

The video leak occurred following the arrest of 10 IDF reservists suspected of abusing a Palestinian security prisoner. The soldier’s assault reportedly left the detainee with severe injuries, including broken ribs and a tear in his rectum.

Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, the IDF Military Advocate General, admitted to approving the leak of the footage. This sparked riots by right-wing activists, serving ministers, and MKs at the military base and court, demanding justice for the detained soldiers.

Justice Minister Yariv Levin and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara are currently in a legal tussle over the authority to investigate the leak. Baharav-Miara stated that Levin is not authorized to appoint another official to oversee the investigation, which she insisted would continue under her leadership and that of other law enforcement officials.

Levin, on the other hand, completely rejected Baharav-Miara’s claims, stating that the public doesn’t accept the dual legal standards for government officials and soldiers. He also suggested that Baharav-Miara should be disqualified from the ongoing inquiry.

At a press conference outside the Supreme Court, one defendant accused the military justice system of holding an unfair trial, stating, “the wheel cannot be turned back” due to the leak. Another soldier expressed frustration over the trial process, highlighting, “We knew we had to defend the country.”

The charges against the soldiers have sparked significant debate within political and legal circles in Israel, with some labeling the leak a blood libel against them. Despite calls for dropping the charges, the legal aid group Honenu has yet to file an official request to annul the indictments.