From the Liveblog of
Monday, November 25, 2024
Ben Gvir asks AG to replace police officer leading probe into alleged unlawful issuance of firearm permits
Sam Sokol is the Times of Israel's political correspondent. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
In a letter sent to Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara via his personal attorney, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir asks that she replace the police officer in charge of the investigation into allegations that the National Security Ministry under his leadership had issued firearms permits without authority.
In the lawyer’s letter, David Peter asserts that because Chief Superintendent Keren Toledano was one of three officers passed over for advancement by Ben Gvir during a recent round of promotions, her involvement in the case could constitute a conflict of interest.
“Therefore, in order to prevent even the appearance of partiality or prejudice, it is requested that the attorney general… direct that the investigation… be transferred to an independent police officer” who was not among those passed over for promotion, Peter writes.
The High Court of Justice recently adopted the position of petitioners that the National Security Ministry under Ben Gvir had issued firearms permits without authority.
On November 14, Baharav-Miara told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he must reevaluate Ben Gvir’s tenure, in light of the latter’s repeated and ongoing intervention in operational police matters and his politicization of police promotions.
