Judge tells hearing Ben Gvir’s backing of police officers is conditioned on politics

High Court Justice Isaac Amit says that National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has routinely given public support to police officers, but only if they have done something to benefit a particular agenda.

“We see, and this isn’t [just] a feeling, that the minister very much supports the police officers — that’s fantastic — but only if they do something for one side,” the judge says to David Peter, the lawyer representing Ben Gvir in a hearing on his potential dismissal.

“No way,” the lawyer interjects.

“Wait a second, allow me to finish,” Amit continues, and proceeds to give examples. “He supports the officers that hit a protester… When someone [an officer] kills an Arab, whether in the West Bank, East Jerusalem or Tarabin [al-Sana], there is support,” he says.

Peter accuses the judge of quoting “a collection of news articles,” before Amit contradicts him: “This is all from the mouth of the minister.”

Meanwhile, when “police beat Haredim at Mount Meron [during Lag B’Omer], there is no support, they are immediately accused,” Amit continues.

“This isn’t true, it’s not true. Just because the court says something doesn’t make it true,” the lawyer responds, raising his voice.

Peter is representing Ben Gvir during a hearing on petitions demanding the court order the prime minister to fire the far-right minister, claiming he has exercised unlawful influence over the police, in part through public statements in support of officers implicated in potentially criminal offenses.