Israel's opposition expressed support for IDF Military Advocate General Maj.-Gen.Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi's departure from her role on Friday, arguing that her actions harmed the IDF, while also calling for justice against recent suspected illicit activities by right-wing perpetrators.
"The Military Advocate General was required to end her role. There is no dispute about that. She committed acts that harm the IDF and the public's trust in it. No one is above the law. And it applies to everyone," opposition leader Yair Lapid wrote.
"We must continue to investigate and bring to justice all those involved - what happened at Sde Teiman, the leak, the cover-up, and the break-in to the IDF base," he affirmed, alluding to MK Tzvi Sukkot (Religious Zionism), who was questioned on Sunday by police over footage showing him breaking into the Sde Teiman base.
This is "a very serious event that undermines the trust of the Israeli public in senior commanders in the IDF," which should be investigated, former prime minister Naftali Bennett said.
"We must reach the root of the sequence of events from beginning to end, and exhaust the legal proceedings with all those involved....The law is the law and it applies to everyone," he added.
Tomer-Yerushalmi's actions were "very serious and stain the values of the IDF," former IDF chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot said.
An in-depth investigation and full prosecution of those involved is required to restore public trust in the IDF, Eisenkot affirmed.
Golan compares wrongdoing of Tomer-Yerushalmi to Qatargate affair suspects
"The military advocate general and her spokesperson may have done something wrong, but no more serious than what the prime minister's spokespeople, Urich and Feldstein, did," Democrats party leader Yair Golan wrote.
"If the military advocate general is ousted, Urich and Netanyahu should also be ousted. They should have been long ago," he affirmed. This is in reference to the ongoing "Qatargate" investigations into allegations of corruption in the Prime Minister's Office.
Tomer-Yerushalmi "made a difficult and correct personal decision and took responsibility, a concept entirely foreign to all those who attacked her, and completely foreign to the politicians who bear responsibility for the disaster and the neglect," Democrats MK Gilad Kariv said.
"Throughout the war, ministers and members of Knesset called for the commission of war crimes from every platform. They caused enormous damage to IDF soldiers and to Israel’s international standing, more than any video," Kariv alleged.
"Those who truly wish to protect soldiers do not break into IDF bases, do not threaten commanders who seek to enforce norms and orders, and do not attack the defense and law enforcement systems day and night. In the end, there are those who erred and take responsibility, and there are those who abandoned, continue to abandon, and refuse to take even a shred of responsibility," Kariv concluded.
Tomer-Yerushalmi "has gravely failed," Blue and White Party leader Benny Gantz said. Gantz was previously also a defense minister and IDF chief of staff.
The actions that have been attributed to her and her associates are "completely contrary to the values of the IDF and harm public trust in the military and judicial systems," Gantz affirmed.
"The judicial systems must examine this serious case swiftly and thoroughly as the credibility, integrity, and professionalism of the IDF in all its systems are critical to us all," he concluded.
Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman stated that it is "good and proper" that Tomer-Yerushalmi has now resigned, but added that if someone is aware they did something wrong and failed in their role, then they should resign immediately and not "cling to their seat until they are forced" to quit.
The video leak was "a reckless and irresponsible act toward the IDF and all Israeli citizens, and "it is impossible to even measure the consequences and the international damage it caused," former justice minister Ayelet Shaked said.
"It is also impossible to reconcile with a situation in which the one responsible for upholding the law in the IDF is tainted by serious suspicions of cover-up and forgery," she added, affirming that she hopes that "justice will be served with all those involved."
Members of the coalition also comment on MAG's departure
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir threatened a similar fate for Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara in his reaction.
"Next up, the criminal attorney-general," he wrote on X/Twitter.
"As someone who has cried out for many years about the corruption of the Israeli judicial system and the critical importance of reforming it, I am not surprised. This is barely the tip of the iceberg. We will fix it," Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said.
"A new Military Advocate General must be appointed from outside the system, someone free of obligations, who will clean the stables and restore trust that the system acts for the benefit of IDF soldiers, not against them," he added.
"This is a painful and difficult day for all of us, but removing the infection is the first and necessary step toward healing," Smotrich concluded.
"So what did we have here? Severe damage to the state, to the IDF and their image, severe damage to justice and legal proceedings, blatant contempt for the Knesset and its role as the supervisory authority over the executive branch," Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said.
Tomer-Yerushalmi resigned "because she was caught red-handed after leaking, lying, covering up, obstructing an investigation, and submitting a false affidavit - and now went even further by publicly sharing her version before the investigation in order to coordinate testimonies," Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana said.
"Had she not been caught, she would have continued in her position, advancing into the civilian law enforcement system," he added.
"What needs to be done now is to see all the mountains of poison that were poured out on every Knesset member and minister who demanded the prompt investigation of the Military Advocate General," MK Simcha Rothman said.
"The house of cards is beginning to collapse. The truth will prevail in the end. The time for correction has come," he affirmed.
"I thank the Defense Minister for removing the Military Advocate General," Likud MK Osher Shekalim said.
However, "we will not be satisfied with that, as whoever persecutes our soldiers should know that they will pay a heavy price," Shekalim added.
He noted that he proposed a bill to authorize the defense minister to strip ranks, benefits, and a pension fund from anyone who harms soldiers or their reputation, adding that Tomer-Yerushalmi "does not deserve a single shekel from public funds."
The attorney-general is using Tomer-Yerushalmi as a scapegoat, Likud MK Avichay Boaron wrote.
"This is the attorney-general's responsibility, it is on her, and she must take a leave of absence and step down from her position until the investigation concerning her is completed," he added.
"It is inconceivable that someone who is reasonably suspected of involvement in the affair and is also expected to be investigated could be in charge of the investigation and potentially obstruct it," Likud MK Moshe Saada said, referring to how Baharav-Miara has oversight of this case, alleging a conflict of interest.