IDF Military Advocate General

The IDF Military Advocate General (MAG) is Israel's senior military legal officer, heading the Military Advocate General's Corps. Established under Israeli military law, the MAG corps serves as prosecutor, defender, and legal adviser to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) simultaneously, an arrangement that critics argue creates structural conflicts of interest. The MAG holds the rank of major general and is appointed by the defence minister.

The office came under scrutiny during the 2026 Lebanon campaign, when Israeli strikes killed three Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) soldiers and wounded five on 17 March. The IDF stated it was "reviewing" the incident — a formulation routed through the MAG's office — as Lebanon's toll from Israeli operations reached over 900 dead, including 111 children and 38 health workers .

The MAG's credibility hinges on whether self-investigation can produce genuine accountability. International bodies, including those tracking war crimes allegations, have long argued that a military legal system prosecuting its own forces cannot be truly independent. The Lebanon incident crystallises this tension: the IDF's own legal Arm determines whether strikes on allied soldiers warrant prosecution.