Two Israeli soldiers accused of raping a Palestinian detainee were met with cheers as they arrived at the Supreme Court in Jerusalem on Monday.
Supporters in the courtroom shouted “We are all Unit 100,” referring to the military unit to which the suspects belong, according to Israel’s Channel 14.
Footage shared on social media showed the two men, their faces concealed by hats, sunglasses and masks, embracing each other as some in the room applauded.
The hearing concerned a dispute over who would lead the investigation into the leak of a video showing their assault on a Palestinian detainee last year.
The case follows last month’s revelations implicating the army’s former chief legal adviser, Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, in the leak of the footage to Channel 12 - a scandal that caused uproar in Israel.
Right-wing politicians, journalists and activists accused Tomer-Yerushalmi of persecuting Israeli soldiers and damaging Israel’s image internationally. She resigned shortly after the revelations and was subsequently arrested by Israeli police.
A rift has since emerged between Justice Minister Yariv Levin and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara over who should head the probe into the leak. Levin has sought to appoint his own legal adviser, while Baharav-Miara insists the case should remain under the state prosecution’s authority.
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