Brigadier General Yogev Bar-Sheshet, who serves as the military deputy to the Defense Establishment Comptroller, will end his service in the IDF following a command review conducted into his conduct in recent months.
Behind the resignation are accusations of abuse of authority and the exposure of classified information to unauthorized parties. Initially, the Military Police Investigations Unit investigated the case. However, the Military Advocate General Corps decided that criminal proceedings were unjustified and that they should be transferred to the command level.
The review was led by the Deputy Chief of Staff Major General Tamir Yadai. In light of the review, Bar-Sheshet asked to leave the military immediately, and his planned appointments as the IDF's Chief Safety Officer and to the General Staff Forum have been cancelled.
The affair reportedly began with a complaint submitted by an officer in the Intelligence Directorate to his commanders in early May. The complaint reached senior IDF officials, including Intelligence Directorate chief Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder, who handled the matter personally.
Following the complaint, an investigation was opened by the Military Police Criminal Investigation Division’s central unit for special investigations, in cooperation with the IDF Information Security Department and under the supervision of the Military Advocate General’s Corps.
The inquiry focused on suspicions that Bar-Sheshet had used his authority as deputy Defense Establishment Comptroller to visit a classified unit in the Intelligence Directorate with which he had personal connections.
There was also suspicion that after the visit, he disclosed details concerning the unit to people who were not authorized to receive the information, and in a setting in which he was not supposed to discuss the matter.
The Military Advocate General’s Corps determined that the findings did not justify continuing the criminal investigation, and the matter was transferred to a command review. According to reports, the review uncovered findings concerning conduct considered inappropriate for a senior officer of his rank.
Bar-Sheshet had been slated to become the IDF’s chief safety officer, a position that would have made him a member of the General Staff forum. However, following the affair, the appointment was canceled and he will end his military service.
During his service, Bar-Sheshet held a series of senior command positions, including deputy head of the Civil Administration, deputy commander of the Steel Formation, commander of the Yoav Brigade, operations officer of the Southern Command, and commander of Battalion 50.
In May 2024, he was wounded by shrapnel during IDF operations in the Zeitoun neighborhood of the Gaza Strip.
The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said in response: “In recent months, the Military Police Criminal Investigation Division received a complaint from an IDF service member raising allegations of harassment by an officer with the rank of brigadier general, against the background of a personal dispute between the two."
It added: “After the complainant’s allegations were examined by the Military Advocate General’s Corps, it was determined that there was no justification for continuing a criminal investigation, and it was decided to transfer the case for a command review conducted by the Deputy Chief of Staff."
The IDF confirmed that “at the conclusion of the command review, the officer requested to retire from the IDF immediately."