The chairman of Otzma Yehudit, MK Itamar Ben-Gvir, designated for the position of National Security Minister, sent an urgent letter to Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara today (Wednesday). He is demanding that all appointments in the police be ceased. Ben-Gvir claims: "The Police Commissioner and the Internal Security Minister are making secret appointments of senior police officers on the eve of the new government's establishment."
In his letter, MK Ben-Gvir added that his request came "following the very problematic conduct that is taking place these days in the Internal Security Ministry. There is an attempted hijacking" to present the designated National Security Minister with a fait accompli.
According to MK Ben-Gvir, "This conduct is contrary to the commissioner's previous statement in which he clarified that at this time, on the eve of the entry of an elected minister into the ministry, it would not be appropriate to make changes, including the appointment of senior police officers. This is particularly puzzling conduct, and a change of position just before the minister departs from office.”
Ben Gvir warned that despite the statement about not making changes, including new appointments, the outgoing minister and the commissioner intend to hold a rank-awarding ceremony next Thursday and present the designated minister with fait accompli.
In his letter, Ben-Gvir noted a report in the Haaretz newspaper, according to which the commissioner made another coup in recent weeks: the appointment of police officer Shahar Mahsumi as Commander of the Jerusalem police station.
"According to the information I received, in the past, the outgoing Internal Security Minister refused to appoint the officer," claims Ben-Gvir in his letter, "therefore this is particularly puzzling behavior, and a change of position just before he steps down. And if this is not enough," he adds, "this joins a third hijacking: the Commissioner's attempt to hold a discussion on police policy for 2023, a hijacking that was prevented only after I learned about it."
MK Zvika Fogel (Otzma Yehudit) claims that there are no tensions between the designated National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, and Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai.
"As far as I understand there are no tensions between the Commissioner and Itamar. The media is trying to create something that doesn't exist. I have not seen meetings between Ben-Gvir and Shabtai where one of them looked away," Vogel told Galei Zahal (Israel Army Radio).
MK Vogel also added that "If Kobi Shabtai sees the policy that Itamar is bringing, he will raise his hand and say, 'Come on, I can do that', it’s the best. We are not looking to replace anyone, we are looking for someone who will work by our side and implement our work plan."
Last night it was reported that the designated minister Ben-Gvir and the Commissioner clashed on the issue of the appointments, and this was after publication of the fact that Ben-Gvir contacted the Commissioner and asked that some of them be held off.
According to Daphna Lial of Channel 12 News, in the conversation between the two, Ben-Gvir asked to wait for his entry into office and not to "establish facts on the ground for him". At the end of the conversation, Ben-Gvir left with the impression that the appointments of the Lachish area manager and the Judea and Samaria area manager had been stopped and were not going to be carried out - but that is not the case in practice.
It became clear to Ben-Gvir that these appointments were implemented already, before he takes office.
A rift arose between the two sides, and Ben-Gvir, who was talking to one of the commissioner's staff was heard saying to him: "You are big kids. I had my say. It is not legal, not professional, and not statesmanlike. It is hijacking. It will be difficult for me to work with a commissioner who assures me that he will not hijack the situation and does not comply, a commissioner who tells me that he knows it is against the law and despite that makes the appointments. I need a strong commissioner, not a commissioner who hides behind an illegal decision by a former minister."
Officials at the Internal Security Ministry said that these are routine appointments and that they are not used to being interfered with in appointments at this level. Usually, the Internal Security Minister intervenes in the appointment of the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner, and Ben-Gvir intends to bring a "different spirit" to the ministry.