Police chief reportedly makes senior appointments despite Ben Gvir’s election freeze

Police Commissioner Daniel Levy has gone ahead with the first round of senior appointments in the force despite National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s directive earlier in the day to hold off on them until after the October 27 election, Hebrew media outlets reported on Sunday.

Ben Gvir reportedly issued the directive after a deal he and Levy reached on the matter fell through because the minister was opposed to the police chief’s planned appointment of perceived allies of Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, including Assistant Commissioner Tamar Liberty for the role of deputy police legal adviser.

The attorney general, whom the government seeks to oust, has repeatedly clashed with Ben Gvir and accused him of inappropriate interference in law enforcement.

Nonetheless, the Ynet news site reported that Liberty’s appointment is one that Levy approved on Sunday night.

In response to reports on the appointments, Ben Gvir’s office reiterated that “there will be no appointments before the election, other than extraordinary cases,” which the minister will approve on a case-by-case basis “after the rationales are presented by the Commissioner.”

Ben Gvir’s statement referred to Sunday’s reported appointments as merely “recommendations for appointments in the police.”

The national security minister had decided to push off senior police appointments until after the October 27 election, reportedly backing away from a deal he cut with Levy to promote top officers as soon as this week.

In a statement quoted by Hebrew media on Sunday, Ben Gvir said he “made clear to the chief commissioner that it’s unseemly to make senior appointments six weeks before the election, because that could strike part of the public as a power grab.”

“All appointments will be frozen until after the election, except urgent cases that will be examined individually,” the statement said.

Though pinning his reasoning on the upcoming election, sources close to Ben Gvir were cited by the pro-government Channel 14 as saying the minister was blocking candidates Levy wants to promote who are considered close to Baharav-Miara.

A source in Ben Gvir’s office called Liberty “the attorney general’s pick,” and police confirmed there were “significant discussions” about Liberty’s appointment, the Ynet news site said.

Despite Ben Gvir’s statement, Ynet and Channel 12 both quoted a senior police official as saying police would proceed Sunday with planned discussions on senior appointments.

“The chief commissioner expects the national security minister to back the organization in the appointments process, as is the case in other organizations within the scope of the National Security Ministry,” the unnamed official was quoted as saying.

Police sources cited by the i24 outlet earlier Sunday had said the police top brass was set to convene during the day to discuss appointments of officers to positions that carry the rank of assistant commissioner, police’s third-highest rank.

Ben Gvir, Levy had reportedly reached deal to promote their preferred candidates

According to i24 and the Haaretz newspaper, Levy had agreed to make senior appointments before the election despite telling top officers just two weeks ago that he would hold off on the appointments to avoid the impression that Ben Gvir was pressuring him into them.

Haaretz on Sunday reported that Levy and Ben Gvir had reached a deal in recent days to promote their respective candidates. An unnamed senior police official quoted by the newspaper said Levy had “made an about-face” and Ben Gvir “wants to show at all costs that he controls police, specifically now, before the election.”

Haaretz also said that despite having planned to make the appointments this week, Ben Gvir had not given Baharav-Miara the requisite seven days’ notice.

In a ruling on petitions against Ben Gvir’s alleged abuse of office, the High Court in April had ordered the minister to give the attorney general seven days’ notice before making appointments to any position with the rank of at least commissioner, the police’s second-highest rank, and to sensitive positions with the rank of at least chief superintendent, the police’s fifth-highest rank.

Nonetheless, at least seven officers were expected to be promoted to assistant commissioner roles, Haaretz reported, before Ben Gvir’s announcement of the appointments freeze.

The seven reportedly included Jerusalem’s Old City police chief, Commander Dvir Tamim, who has facilitated Jewish prayer atop the Temple Mount in a shift from a vague status quo arrangement that for decades has banned non-Muslim prayer at the holy site.

Tamim was expected to become head of police in central Israel’s Sharon Region, replacing Assistant Commissioner Eli Pinto, who was ousted amid accusations that he mishandled the investigation into the murder of 21-year-old Yemanu Zeleka in Petah Tikva on Independence Day, in April.

Haaretz also reported that Levy sought to promote the police’s current spokesperson, Commander Aryeh Doron, to head the Spokesperson’s Division instead of Assistant Commissioner Lior Abudraham, who is retiring amid an investigation against him for alleged sexual harassment.

In addition, Levy sought to promote Commissioner Yehiel Bohadana, head of the police’s Coastal District, to the role of deputy police chief, Haaretz said, adding that Bohadana has relatively little experience in senior roles.

Under Baharav-Miara’s directives, the promotion of Bohadana in an election period would require special approval from the attorney general because he holds the rank of commissioner. The directives cited the need to ensure that the public service keeps functioning and that senior appointments aren’t abused for electoral gain.

Haaretz said the promotion of Doron would also require Baharav-Miara’s extraordinary approval because the officer’s new job would put him on the police’s General Staff.