At Ben Gvir hearing, judge says new police incitement department evokes Soviet institutions

High Court Justice Alex Stein says police’s fledgling incitement department, established by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, evokes “parallel institutions” that existed in East Germany and the former Soviet Union.

Stein, who immigrated to Israel from the Soviet Union as a teen, makes the remark during a hearing on petitions demanding Ben Gvir’s dismissal, based on claims the far-right minister has illegally interfered in police decision making to benefit his political interests.

One of the examples petitioners cite in their argument is the recent establishment of a new body within the police to investigate online incitement.

The department’s activities were recently frozen on a court order after its head Ch. Supt. Udi Ronen, who was appointed by Ben Gvir, reportedly asked officers to send him names of individuals that “interest or concern them,” with the goal of monitoring their social media posts.

“I don’t get it. When did investigating incitement to terrorism become a problematic occurrence?” Ben Gvir’s lawyer, David Peter, says during the hearing.

“It’s not just incitement to terrorism, the definition [of the department’s mission] is very wide, and evokes parallel organizations in East Germany and the former Soviet Union,” Stein replies.