Police chief vows not to resign after MK in Ben Gvir’s party warns of dismissal

Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai declared in remarks aired Friday that he would not step down from his post, after a lawmaker from the far-right party of the minister in charge of the force warned that Shabtai would be removed if he does not start falling in line.

The declaration appeared to mark a further escalation in the power struggle between Shabtai and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who over the past week has lashed out at Jerusalem cops for not using force during an anti-government protest and slammed officers over the demolition of an illegal West Bank grove.

Shabtai responded to the criticism by issuing a missive to officers on Thursday in which he said Israel is “in a difficult period” and stressed the police force’s duty to enforce the law, prevent crime, “strengthen the civil norm of obeying the law,” protect people and property, and maintain public order — all “while respecting human rights.”

“We are the police for all of Israeli society,” he wrote. “Protesting is a democratic right.”

He also emphasized his backing for commanders in the field, “as long as they act in accordance with the Israel Police’s rules and according to the law.”

Responding to the letter, Otzma Yehudit MK Zvika Fogel told the Kan public broadcaster that the government may have to remove Shabtai if he doesn’t change his ways.

“We didn’t come here to oust or kick people out, but if in the end he doesn’t absorb and get used to the new style, then [we will be left with] no choice. In such cases, [the sides] go their separate ways,” Fogel said.

“I am not resigning,” Shabtai told Channel 12 news in an interview, excerpts of which were released Friday.

“I say this in the clearest way possible: We operate according to the law. The law grants certain things to police officers, the commissioner and district commanders. No one can replace the commissioner or a district commander at their own discretion,” he added.

The police chief acknowledged that Ben Gvir indeed has the authority to set policy as national security minister. “But within the framework of that policy, there is the discretion of the commanding officer in the field. [Ben Gvir] does not replace the commander in the field.”

In the interview with Kan, Fogel warned that he would cease voting with the coalition if Otzma Yehudit’s concerns weren’t addressed. “Whoever thinks that my hand will be raised for anything they want while we are not getting what we’re pushing for and what we were elected to do is mistaken,” he said.

Otzma Yehudit has been critical of the police for its involvement in the uprooting of illegally planted trees in the West Bank, during which officers forcefully arrested settler protesters and allegedly sexually assaulted a member of the far-right party, MK Limor Son Har-Melech. Police have insisted that Son Har-Melech was treated respectfully as she attempted to prevent them from carrying out their orders.

In addition to clashing over police enforcement at protests, Ben Gvir also reportedly clashed with Netanyahu and Shabtai earlier this week after the pair rebuffed his requests to demolish structures built illegally by Palestinians in East Jerusalem.

Ben Gvir has vowed to take a more aggressive stance against Palestinian homes that were built in East Jerusalem and the West Bank without the necessary permits from Israel. He has framed the demolition of such structures as part of Israel’s efforts to combat Palestinian terror, even though there have been no links between the owners of the homes razed for a lack of permits in recent weeks and security offenses.

Ben Gvir has also been prevented from launching a sweeping police crackdown in East Jerusalem.

Shortly after a deadly car-ramming attack last Friday, Ben Gvir released a statement saying he told police to gear up for a major anti-terror crackdown starting Sunday, specifically mentioning a massive 2002 military campaign against West Bank terror groups.

However, Ben Gvir lacks the authority to approve such an operation on his own and his comments were dismissed by a senior government official.

In past election campaigns, Netanyahu said Ben Gvir — who has been convicted for incitement to violence and has said he would encourage Arab citizens to emigrate — was not fit to hold a cabinet post. But ahead of Israel’s November 2022 election, and amid Ben Gvir’s growing popularity in polls, Netanyahu backtracked, saying he could “certainly” hold a ministerial position in his next government.

Former police commissioner Moshe Karadi on Saturday said Ben Gvir was  “a pyromaniac with a gas tank” and “entirely unequipped” to head the national security ministry.

Ben Gvir has also faced criticism from the hard right after several deadly terror attacks in recent weeks, with detractors saying he has so far failed to deliver on his vows to crush terror and introduce punishments of unprecedented severity against attackers and their families.