Police minister denies Netanyahu asked him to act against Jerusalem protests

Public Security Minister Amir Ohana denies Prime Minister Netanyahu wants him to take action against the ongoing protests outside the premier’s official residence in Jerusalem.

“The prime minister never talked to me about the protests and never made a request about the protests,” Ohana says in an interview with Channel 12.

Ohana, a member of Netanyahu’s Likud party, says residents of the Rehavia neighborhood where the residence is located have told him their lives have turned to “hell” and that protesters have been relieving themselves in the street.

He’s also asked about reports that he accused police of being too soft on the anti-Netanyahu protests relative to other demonstrations, particularly by minority groups.

“I expect the police to act equally against all groups,” he says.

He calls for restrictions to be placed on the size of protests and where they can be held.

Ohana, whose ministry oversees police, also says he doesn’t believe Netanyahu needs to be involved in the appointment of a new police commissioner, after the attorney general informed the premier he couldn’t take part in appointing senior law enforcement or legal officials due to his indictment on graft charges.