Justice Noam Sohlberg demands AG Baharav-Miara respond to recusal petition over alleged conflict in Sde Teiman leak investigation.
Jerusalem — In a stunning escalation of Israel’s Sde Teiman video-leak scandal, Supreme Court Vice President Justice Noam Sohlberg has ordered Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara to formally respond by Thursday 12:00 PM to a petition demanding she recuse herself from the ongoing investigation, amid intensifying accusations of conflict of interest and cover-up.
The petition, filed by MK Avichay Buaron (Likud) and the Lavi Organization through attorney Itzik Bam, alleges that Baharav-Miara may have been directly involved in decisions surrounding the Sde Teiman (Force 100) affair — and therefore cannot credibly supervise or influence the investigation now examining the same actions.
⚖️ “The AG Cannot Investigate Herself” — MK Buaron Blasts Legal Double Standards
On Tuesday, Buaron and Lavi filed an official criminal complaint with the Israel Police Commissioner, demanding a criminal investigation into the Attorney General’s potential role in obstructing justice and manipulating court filings tied to the affair.
“The Supreme Court is issuing another yellow card to the AG,” said MK Buaron, emphasizing that Baharav-Miara “managed and was allegedly involved in all the cover-up maneuvers over the past year — whether she knew of them in real time or not.”
Buaron accused the Attorney General of abuse of office, fraud, and breach of trust, asserting:
“It is unthinkable that the person who should be investigated is managing the investigation. If she doesn’t recuse herself, the Court must do it for her.”
He went further, charging that Baharav-Miara “bears direct and full responsibility” for what he described as “a rich tapestry of crimes” within the defense and legal hierarchy, claiming that her continued involvement “taints the entire process.”
🔥 Background: The Sde Teiman Scandal
The Sde Teiman affair erupted after the leak of a classified video allegedly showing misconduct at a Negev-based IDF detention facility. Investigators suspect that former Military Advocate General Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi — currently detained — played a role in leaking the material and submitting a false affidavit to the Supreme Court.
The investigation has since expanded, uncovering a network of possible institutional interference aimed at concealing the leak’s origin. Critics argue that Baharav-Miara, as Israel’s top legal authority, cannot remain impartial if her office had any prior awareness of the events under scrutiny.
🧭 Judiciary Under Pressure — Public Demands Transparency
Justice Sohlberg’s directive marks a rare move by the Supreme Court against the sitting Attorney General, signaling mounting concern over the integrity of Israel’s legal oversight.
Sources close to the court described the order as “a decisive step to ensure that no appearance of bias lingers over one of the most sensitive legal cases in years.”
Meanwhile, political observers note that the affair has deepened divisions within Israel’s governance framework — pitting judicial independence against demands for accountability.
“Israel’s democracy stands strongest when even its highest officials are not beyond examination,” said one senior Knesset source. “This is a defining test of judicial credibility.”
🇮🇱 A Moment of Reckoning for Israel’s Justice System
The Sde Teiman probe has already shaken the IDF’s legal command and Attorney General’s office, exposing what critics describe as systemic complacency. With the Supreme Court now intervening directly, the case may soon determine whether Gali Baharav-Miara continues to serve — or becomes the latest casualty in a scandal reverberating from Israel’s military courts to its highest judicial bench.
