The statement clarified that a criminal investigation has been launched regarding the video's publication, with potential involvement of Military Advocate General personnel being probed. Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir approved the chief military prosecutor's leave request, "pending clarification of additional details on the matter," the statement said.

In July 2024, the Military Police initiated an investigation into suspected abuse of a Palestinian terrorist at the Sde Teiman facility. Throughout the investigation, a video recording the soldiers' purported conduct leaked to media outlets, displaying an assault on the terrorist by five reserve soldiers at the Sde Teiman detention center. The accused soldiers rejected the suspicions, asserting they acted to control a terrorist who assaulted them and that the force they employed was proportionate. Right-wing sources argued the leak harms Israel as a moral nation.

Defense Minister Israel Katz responded to the decision, saying, "Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir informed me that following a criminal investigation proceeding in the Sde Teiman recording leak matter, and examination of Military Prosecution personnel involvement in the matter, the decision was made that the chief military prosecutor would take leave. I welcome and back the decision – we're talking about a serious matter that generated a blood libel against IDF soldiers domestically and internationally, and it must be examined and investigated completely."

The attorney general's office also announced an investigation would commence, with the High Court of Justice updated on the development. "Following information obtained recently, the attorney general decided to instruct the opening of a criminal investigation concerning offenses related to publishing the video from the Sde Teiman matter. At this stage, as the investigation continues, no additional details can be disclosed."

MK Tzvi Succot reacted on X to the IDF spokesperson's announcement regarding the investigation's launch. "Amid Israel's most difficult war in history, the chief military prosecutor opted to accuse IDF fighters as though they participated in raping terrorists. The video leaked from investigation materials in the chief military prosecutor's custody, along with the groundless charges the chief military prosecutor circulated about the fighters, transformed into insane anti-Israel propaganda globally during wartime – straight to jail!"

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Yariv Levin also commented, noting the timing with legislation passage dividing the attorney general's position. "It's no coincidence that right after passing the bills concerning legal counsel to the government in preliminary Knesset reading, we learned about the decision to authorize launching a criminal investigation in the Sde Teiman matter, and about the chief military prosecutor's leave. Appointing the Shin Bet chief and the Public Ombudsman for Judges, along with promoting legal legislation and the resolute struggle to reveal truth and apply equal enforcement, are generating historic transformation before our eyes. I'll persist fearlessly until justice is entirely achieved."

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir stated, "The investigation concerning Sde Teiman and the chief military prosecutor's 'leave' departure represents a dramatic shift in protecting democracy from criminal behavior disguised as legal action. Everyone implicated in the matter should be held accountable, including the Attorney General herself, who initially attempted to sabotage the investigation with a deceptive High Court of Justice statement."

At Honenu, the organization defending several soldiers charged in the Sde Teiman matter, officials praised the investigation's opening regarding the video leak. The organization now weighs stopping the mediation procedure in the case and demanding indictment withdrawal against Unit 100 fighters. Attorneys Adi Keidar, Nati Rom, and Moshe Polsky described this as an essential measure, arguing the video leak aimed to tarnish the fighters' standing and harmed the IDF's and state's reputation.

Simultaneously, Honenu's lawsuit against Channel 12 News, reporter Guy Peleg, and the IDF for 2 million shekels ($564,000) in defamation damages regarding the video's publication is currently under consideration. The attorneys additionally insisted that all personnel connected to the matter's investigation be removed from their roles.

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In a controversial move, Israel's Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara has ordered the termination of daycare subsidies for ultra-Orthodox families whose fathers are eligible for military service but have not enlisted. The decision, which affects an estimated 6,700 families, has ignited a fierce debate over the intersection of religious study, military service, and state support in Israel.

Baharav-Miara sent a letter on Sunday morning to Labor Minister Yoav Ben-Tzur, instructing him to halt funding for daycare centers for young ultra-Orthodox families with individuals eligible for military service between the ages of 18-26 who are required to enlist.

According to the attorney general, "With the expiration of the legal basis for blanket service deferrals, the justification for government funding aimed at encouraging studies for draft-eligible ultra-Orthodox men has also been nullified. There is no longer any authority to promote Torah studies within the daycare subsidy framework for those who are required to serve but have not reported for duty."

"The existence of a direct connection between the deferment of service for members of the ultra-Orthodox public and their Torah studies is rooted in the Torah studies being the basic purpose for avoiding enlistment," Baharav-Miara added.

Riots break out at the IDF's main recruitment center, Tel HaShomer, as ultra-Orthodox men break into the base in defiance of the military draft notices issued to them pic.twitter.com/HGDdRwx9Lz

— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) August 6, 2024

Israel Hofsheet (Be Free Israel), which petitioned on issues of non-subsidization of daycare centers on the attorney general's announcement, said: "We welcome the fact that the attorney general has also accepted the position we petitioned for two months ago – whoever is supposed to enlist and doesn't do so certainly should not receive far-reaching economic benefits. Gone are the days when one could both evade enlistment and receive extensive subsidies, which in any case only reach a few and should not reach those who choose to evade both enlistment and the labor market. The time for equality has come."

The Shas party issued a harsh statement against the attorney general's decision. "The decision to deny working ultra-Orthodox mothers daycare subsidies, three weeks before the start of the school year, just because the husband studies Torah – this is cruel legal bullying and abuse of helpless children. It's a disgraceful mark of shame on the forehead of a legal system that is supposed to be the shield and relief for women who decided to enter the labor market and contribute to the Israeli economy. The purpose of the subsidy is to encourage women's employment. Ultra-Orthodox women have the highest rate of female employment in the OECD. This unfortunate decision will set them back," Shas said.

The party added: "The issue of the status of yeshiva students is currently being discussed in the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, and efforts are being made to reach a legal arrangement in cooperation with the defense system. Bullying working ultra-Orthodox women as a means of pressure – is absolute folly that will not take a single Kollel student out of the study hall and will distance any solution on the issue. We will examine the legal tools at our disposal to cancel the scandalous decision that a black flag flies over it."

Minister of Jerusalem Affairs and Jewish Heritage Meir Porush said, "The legal counsel exposes the truth – they are not interested in the army's needs, but only in an obsessive persecution against the world of Torah and the ultra-Orthodox family. The legal system drags small children into a political battle and works to starve them; they have no boundaries."

"The decision of the attorney general to exclude the children of Kollel students is outrageous and discriminatory," tweeted United Torah Judaism chairman, Housing and Construction Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf on his X account. "This is a direct attack on ultra-Orthodox women who go out to work for their livelihood and wish to maintain a Torah lifestyle. It's needless to say that the attorney general would not have published an identical decision against an Arab population that doesn't serve or against children of foreign workers and infiltrators who enjoy services and allowances as if they served in the IDF. This is another attempt to harm the ultra-Orthodox public in various cruel ways."

Goldknopf pledged that "United Torah Judaism will act with all the tools at its disposal to cancel this evil decree and ensure that the families of Kollel students are not harmed. We will demand an urgent discussion in the government and the Knesset on the subject and act to rectify the situation as soon as possible."

Ben-Tzur announced emergency discussions and consultations with professional bodies and legal advisors in his office. His staff stated, "The minister views the severe and direct harm against those helpless toddlers who will be left without supervised educational frameworks as serious."

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Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman this week spoke out against Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara, who recently blocked a pilot program for gender-segregated bathing at a number of natural springs.

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It is a shame that "instead of working to bridge divisions in Israeli society, the attorney general is choosing a path that is all about heightening tensions and rifts within the people," Silman said.

Video: Swimmers in the Kinneret asked to exit due to allergy concerns

In a meeting about the pilot program, Baharav-Miara told Silman that the plan could not proceed because the Nature and Parks Authority – in charge of the springs in question – did not have the authority to hold separate bathing times, and if it wanted to do so, a law needed to be passed first granting it the authority to do so.

She also claimed that gender-segregated bathing went against gender equality.

Silman shot back, saying that the attorney general should find a legal solution to the matter that would not negatively impact the general public "instead of ignoring the needs of the [ultra-Orthodox] public and arguing that their request constitutes religious coercion, which further exacerbates the division within the people."

"Unfortunately, the pursuit of equality and pluralism ends when it comes to the needs of the ultra-Orthodox, Arab and religious public," Silman lamented.

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Contrary to regular practices, Justice Minister Yariv Levin and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara have only met five times since the establishment of the Netanyahu government, Israel Hayom has learned.

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In contrast, previous justice ministers, such as Gideon Sa'ar, Avi Nissankorn, and Ayelet Shaked used to hold weekly meetings with the attorney general at the time.

According to data, the last time Levin and Baharav-Miara met was two months ago, on Feb. 28. The meeting before that was held on Feb. 2.

During that meeting, Baharav-Miara penned a legal opinion, harshly criticizing the judicial reform that Levin is spearheading, saying it would cause "great harm to Israel's system of checks and balances."

Israel Hayom learned that the exchange led to a significant breach of trust between the two officials, which is what led to a decrease in the frequency of their meetings.

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in breach of a Supreme Court ruling and his conflict-of-interest agreement when he announced Thursday he "was getting involved in order to reach a solution for the judicial reform crisis," Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara wrote in an open letter to Netanyahu Friday.

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"Your statement last night and any action that will be taken on this matter is illegal and tainted by a conflict of interest," the letter read. "The legal situation is clear: You must refrain from any involvement in initiatives to change the judiciary, including the makeup of the committee for the appointment of judges, as such activity is a conflict of interest."

Netanyahu said in a televised address on Thursday that he was determined to proceed with judicial reforms amid unprecedented nationwide protests against the government's plan.

The Likud leader's comments came at the end of another day of mass protests across the country, some violent. The protests have escalated since the start of the year when Netanyahu's right-wing government introduced new legislation that would curb the authority of the Supreme Court.

The plan has stirred concern for Israel's democratic health at home and abroad. Military reservists have joined the protests and senior officials in the Finance Ministry warned this week of an economic backlash.

This article was first published by i24NEWS.

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National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called on the Coalition Wednesday to dismiss Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, saying her "automatic" rejection of "any decision or bill backed by the government or those related to it" made her into "the de facto opposition leader."

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"I am aware of the legal difficulty in firing her, but the damage the attorney general is causing every day she remains in her role is immeasurably greater," Ben-Gvir wrote in a letter to Coalition faction leaders.

He noted that Baharav-Miara was appointed by the previous government despite the objections of former Supreme Court President Asher Grunis, who said she was unfit for the position and accused her of approving major proposals of the previous government – such as the maritime deal with Lebanon and the appointment of  Herzi Halevi as IDF chief of staff – even though it was a caretaker government.

"With the establishment of the new government, and with the hope was that the attorney general would understand that the government has changed and so would stop receiving instructions from the previous government, we decided to not immediately call for her dismissal, and even to give her a chance to have a normal working relationship," Ben-Gvir wrote. "However, day by day it is becoming clear that her confrontational behavior is increasing with each passing moment, to the point where Mrs. Baharav-Miara now functions as the real leader of the opposition."

Earlier in the week, Ben-Gvir asked the Supreme Court to permit him to seek independent counsel and not be tied to the representation of the attorney general, in whom he said he had lost confidence.

Ben-Gvir faces a number of petitions in the Supreme Court, sitting as the High Court of Justice, including against a recently passed amendment in the Knesset subordinating the police to his ministry, his appointment as minister, his conduct toward anti-judicial reform protesters, and his removal from office of Tel Aviv District Police Commander Amichai Eshad.

The clash between Ben-Gvir and Baharav-Miara came to the public's attention when Baharav-Miara on Friday reversed Ben-Gvir's decision from the previous day to remove Eshed from his post.

Ben-Gvir had argued that Eshed was not doing enough to crack down on judicial reform protesters who were breaking the law, including blocking the Ayalon Highway in Tel Aviv. Eshed was to be transferred to a position as head of police training.

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However, the attorney general rejected Ben-Gvir's decision, saying there were "serious concerns regarding the legality and correctness of the procedure, including the considerations underlying the decision, the timing of the announcement and the background to it."

Ben-Gvir, a lawyer, responded in a petition to the Supreme Court requesting that he be allowed to determine his own legal representation.

"The attorney general did not speak to me prior to her announcement and did not seek to understand how the decision was made in the case of Commander Amichai Eshad and when. For anyone who has not understood until now, this is a left-wing, biased, nonobjective attorney general who acts on behalf of the previous government with a distinct political agenda. And the attorney general's announcement shows how important the legal reform is," he said.

He further stated in his appeal that Baharav-Miara's "conduct is unconstitutional, unreasonable, disproportionate and unfair. It is not appropriate for the attorney general to make such an unusual and severe decision without talking to the minister. Under these circumstances, the minister asks the honorable court: Allow the minister to represent himself or alternatively to hire an attorney."

 JNS.org contributed to this report.

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In a letter to Mendelblit, Ohana said that the attorney general was not taking the threats seriously, and accused Mendelblit of acting as if he had a personal vendetta against Netanyahu.

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"Your smug letter indicates that you are not taking my request about the growing threats to the lives of the prime minister and his family seriously," Ohana wrote.

"Recently, it seems as if you have been acting like someone with a personal vendetta against the prime minister, in the sense of 'it's him or me,' as seen in a series of decisions, such as your intervention in preventing the prime minister from receiving [public] funding for the costs of the trial you forced upon him, despite you having an inherent conflict of interest as the accuser and prosecutor who is seeking to convict him," Ohana wrote.

Ohana's sent his harshly-worded missive in response to Mendelblit's refusal to his own request to cancel the regulation that stipulates that a senior member of the State Attorney's Office must sign off on a criminal investigation into suspected abuse of the freedom of expression to incite to violence. Ohana asked that the regulation be canceled in light of the growing incitement against Netanyahu and his family that has been appearing on social media.

The justice minister's letter went on to say that "we are talking about life and death… in a public arena that is already restive, we are now hearing explicit calls to kill the prime minister and his family. These are blatant, explicit calls, unlike what is known as 'the incitement that led up to the murder of Yitzhak Rabin.'

"We are not talking about hints, but explicit, sometimes graphic, threats to his life," the letter states.

Ohana also noted a few specific cases of incitement, including a post by one man who wrote that "any one of the demonstrators [against the government's policies] is willing to sacrifice himself for the sake of the country and be the Yigal Amir who carries out an assassination of Bibi…" and another man who wrote, "Whoa, you're right. We need to take out Bibi like they took out Rabin." 

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The first mission for Netanyahu's defense team is to try and convince Mendelblit and his staff to avoid indicting the prime minister in three different cases of alleged corruption in which he is a suspect, or at least reduce the charges.

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As the meeting began, Caspi said, "There is material that can change the way things seem. The issue of clemency or a plea bargain is not on the table."

Hadad added, "We will present the evidence we are all familiar with, as well as new evidence. We are certain that when we are finished presenting our side, there will be no option other than to close the case. We believe in the hearing process. We are not talking about a deal. We believe that in the end, all three cases must be closed."

A brief overview of the cases:

In Case 1,000, Netanyahu is suspected of fraud and breach of trust for allegedly accepting bribes in the form of presents worth some 700,000 shekels ($200,000) from two wealthy businessmen. The hearing is scheduled to review the charges in Case 1,000 on Monday.

In Case 2,000, Netanyahu is suspected of fraud and breach of trust for allegedly conspiring with the publisher of the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, Arnon "Noni" Mozes, to limit the circulation of Israel Hayom in exchange for favorable coverage in the former publication. The charges are scheduled to be reviewed on Sunday.

The most serious charge against Netanyahu is bribery, of which he has been accused in Case 4,000, which involves allegations that Netanyahu traded financial benefits for the Bezeq telecommunications corporation for positive coverage of him and his family when he held the communications portfolio. The charges in Case 4,000 will be reviewed on Wednesday and Thursday.

Netanyahu's defense team has already scored a small victory. Shortly before Rosh Hashanah, Mendelblit announced that he had agreed to their request to extend the hearing from two days to four, which would allow his attorneys time to present all their arguments.

After the hearing, all the officials involved in all the cases will meet to examine the merits of the defense and determine how they affect the overall legal picture. When the hearing process is complete, Mendelblit will have to decide whether or not to indict Netanyahu, in which cases and on what counts. He is expected to make his decision before State Attorney Shai Nitzan resigns from office in December.

In the prime minister's inner circle, tensions were running high ahead of the start of the hearing. Close associates were saying that Netanyahu believes that if he is given due process, he can demonstrate that the most serious allegations against him are baseless. Netanyahu is expected to argue that the decisions he made regarding the Bezeq corporation were supported by expert advisers and that they had nothing to do with his family's ties to the primary shareholder, Shaul Elovitch.

Netanyahu is not expected to attend the hearings.

If Mendelblit does decide to indict the prime minister, it could take many months before the trial begins. Netanyahu could also seek a plea deal.

If he is still in office as prime minister, Netanyahu would be under no strict legal obligation to quit. According to Israeli law, a prime minister must step down if ultimately convicted, but can stay in office throughout legal proceedings including appeals.

Netanyahu's supporters in the legislature have said they would support granting him parliamentary immunity from prosecution, but it is unclear whether there are enough lawmakers who would back such a move.

Bribery charges carry a sentence of up to 10 years in jail and/or a fine. Fraud and breach of trust carry a prison sentence of up to three years.

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Following a deadlocked Sept. 17 election, Netanyahu is fighting for a fifth term in office that might confer legal immunity in three long-running cases that he has cast as a baseless and politically motivated witch-hunt.

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Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit has said he intends to file fraud and breach of trust charges against Netanyahu pending a hearing – an opportunity for a VIP suspect to argue that a trial is not in the national interest.

"After a three-year flood of tendentious, partial media leaks, the time has come for the public to hear everything, including my side," Netanyahu said in a social media video.

"I am therefore asking the attorney general to open up the hearing for live broadcast. … You know that transparency delivers the truth."

Mendelblit's office later turned the request down, saying it had no legal basis and was disrespectful of the legal process.

A hearing is a chance for a suspect to persuade legal authorities not to file charges and is not meant to persuade the public, an attorney general letter to Netanyahu's lawyers said.

"The decision of whether to file an indictment is a professional decision divorced from any public sentiment political pressure or "background noise," the letter said.

On Wednesday, the Netanyahu was tapped to try to form the next coalition government after garnering marginally more support from lawmakers than his centrist election rival, Benny Gantz. Neither commands a clear parliamentary majority.

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Mendelblit agreed that far-right activists Baruch Marzel and Ben-Zion Gopstein be barred from the election. However, he did not agree that Otzma Yehudit leader Itamar Ben-Gvir, or his party, should be disqualified.

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The attorney general also recommended that the committee reject petitions to disqualify Yesh Atid and the Joint Arab List.

MK Esawi Frej (Democratic Union), the Israel Religious Action Center, and the Labor party all petitioned that Otzma Yehudit, as well as individual candidates Ben-Gvir, Gopstein, and Marzel, be banned from the election.

According to Mendelblit, more evidence was presented against Ben-Gvir than was submitted in a petition to disqualify him in April. Mendelblit said that Ben-Gvir was closer to the "red line" than he was in the previous election, but that the material presented against him was insufficient to support the request to keep him from running for the Knesset.

However, Mendelblit said that when it came to Marzel and Gopstein, material submitted against them presented a "clear picture of incitement to racism on their part."

"There is no doubt that Marzel and Gopstein have crossed the line and are 'deep' in forbidden territory," Mendelblit wrote.

The Otzma Yehudit party itself, Mendelblit wrote, has not yet crossed the line that would justify keeping it out of the election.

"The party platform itself does not justify the disqualification of the party, and that doesn't change even when we take into account its leaders' remarks," the attorney general wrote.

Otzma Yehudit and Ben-Gvir each submitted petitions against Yesh Atid, which Mendelblit recommended be rejected out of hand, because the petition was directed at the party itself, not its candidate list, and because Blue and White – which includes Yesh Atid and the party of Benny Gantz – was not included in the petition.

Mendelblit said that even if the petition had included Blue and White, there was very little material to support disqualifying the party.

In addition, Ben-Gvir and Otzma Yehudit petitioned to exclude the Joint Arab List from the election, a request that Mendelblit recommended the Central Elections Committee ignore, due to a lack of sufficient evidence to justify the petition.

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