MK Simcha Rothman, chairman of the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, abruptly suspended a committee hearing on Wednesday that was examining the handling of terror incitement cases, after accusing police representatives of providing misleading information and withholding key details from lawmakers.
Tensions escalated during the discussion when Rothman challenged the police's explanation for the absence of Superintendent Odi Ronen, recently appointed head of the National Incitement Unit. Police representatives told the committee that Ronen was unable to attend due to illness. However, Rothman said that inquiries with Ronen's attorney revealed that the officer had been barred from appearing by Commissioner Boaz Balat, head of the Investigations and Intelligence Division.
"I was surprised that the police are lying," Rothman said during the hearing. "I was concerned for Odi Ronen's well-being, and with this lie we opened the hearing."
The dispute came against the backdrop of an investigation by journalist Kalman Liebeskind, which exposed letters sent in 2023 by former Jerusalem District Commander Commissioner Doron Turgeman to the Police Commissioner and the Attorney General. In those letters, Turgeman warned of significant delays by the prosecution and the Investigations Division in approving investigations into suspected incitement and terror-related offenses.
According to the reports, some suspects were released without being investigated despite serious allegations against them. The cases cited included an individual found with Hamas materials who expressed a desire to become a martyr, a mosque preacher accused of inciting attacks, and a physician who allegedly endorsed social media posts calling for the execution of hostages.
Rothman argued that the revelations had created a serious breach of trust between the committee and the police, claiming that previous committee hearings were given the impression that no significant gaps existed in the handling of incitement cases and that Turgeman's warnings had not been disclosed.
During the recess, Rothman instructed police officials to determine which relevant officers could participate in the hearing remotely via Zoom, stressing that effective parliamentary oversight depends on the provision of complete and accurate information.
Ronen, whose absence became a focal point of the controversy, previously conducted a review at the committee's request of 541 incitement files. According to his findings, in 44 percent of the cases police waited more than three weeks for a response from prosecutors.