National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has removed the Tel Aviv police chief from his position and assigned him to a new role, following a day of protests.
According to a joint statement from Ben Gvir and the Israel Police, Tel Aviv district chief Amichai Eshed will be appointed as the head of the police training division.
Ben Gvir has complained that police have not taken a tough enough hand against protesters who have repeatedly blocked major highways, in particular the Ayalon Highway in Tel Aviv. According to reports, Ben Gvir fumed against Eshed’s actions and felt police were not following his orders. TV reports claimed that Eshed fumed after he was informed of the upcoming move.
Israel Police chief Kobi Shabtai signed off on the change — as he must for any such major personnel shift.
Eshed was reportedly on vacation during a major Tel Aviv protest last week when police used stun grenades and water cannons against protesters; earlier today, protests were broken up without major clashes or the use of either measure.
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From the Liveblog of
Thursday, March 9, 2023
