Gilad Erdan
Gilad ErdanTomer Neuberg/Flash 90

Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan announced on Friday that he would not choose a new Police Commissioner at this time and would instead extend the term of interim Police Commissioner Moti Cohen by four months, until after the April elections to the Knesset.

Erdan explained that in the run-up to the elections, the appointment process would “suffer from uncertainty in both the legal and public aspects.”

He noted that the public might perceive an appointment at this time to be politically motivated, and pointed out that it was legally questionable if he could finish the process during an election period.

“Even though there are suitable candidates for the position, it is the appropriate decision to make in light of the early elections,” said Erdan.

Cohen was appointed as interim Commissioner after Erdan’s candidate for the post, Moshe Edri, withdraw his candidacy last month shortly after the Advisory Committee for the Appointment of Senior Officials decided not to recommend Edri to the post.

Erdan had contemplated bringing Edri’s appointment before the government despite him not being confirmed by the committee, but ultimately decided against it and appointed Cohen as interim Commissioner instead.

(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)