From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, March 24, 2026
Police detective Rinat Saban gets promoted over Ben Gvir’s objections
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleAfter a yearlong legal battle over her promotion, police detective Rinat Saban is granted the rank of chief superintendent, despite National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s vehement opposition to the move.
Since March last year, the far-right minister has refused to sign off on Saban’s promotion — which is widely supported by police senior command — due to her role in probing and later testifying in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption case.
שמעו זה לא יאמן.
מפכ"ל המשטרה הבריז מטקס הענקת הדרגה לרינת סבן.
ראש אגף החקירות בועז בלט העניק את הדרגה בעצמו. pic.twitter.com/yHpiyw39FA— Josh Breiner (@JoshBreiner) March 24, 2026
The Jerusalem District Court issued a ruling last month calling Ben Gvir’s refusal unlawful, saying it likely stemmed from “extraneous considerations.” The judge ordered him to sign off on her promotion, but the politician did not budge.
Last week, the court gave Ben Gvir a five-day deadline to comply with the decision, by the end of which Saban would be promoted — with or without his approval.
Today, Saban was promoted without the minister’s signature in a small ceremony in Jerusalem attended by her commanding officer, Deputy Commissioner Boaz Blatt, who heads the police’s investigations and intelligence division.
The ceremony was originally scheduled to take place in the Tel Aviv District police station in the presence of chief commissioner Danny Levy, but the top cop declined to attend at the last minute, according to the Kan public broadcaster.
“When there is something worth fighting for, we will fight for it,” Saban is quoted by Kan as saying.
“God willing, we will celebrate Ruti [Hauslich] at her promotion ceremony,” she adds, referring to another female police investigator whose promotion is being stonewalled by Ben Gvir.
The Times of Israel Community.