Police threaten legal action after Arab MK calls force’s spokesman ‘a loser’

The Israel Police appeared on Monday to threaten legal action against Hadash-Ta’al MK Ahmad Tibi unless he apologizes for insulting its head spokesman.

During a TV interview on Channel 13’s news broadcaster, the Knesset member called police spokesman Aryeh Doron derogatory names. The two were arguing over a police officer’s killing of a Bedouin man during a midnight raid on his house in the Negev village of Tarabin al-Sana on Saturday night.

Tibi echoed claims made by the victim’s older brother, who was present at the scene of the shooting, that police tampered with evidence at the crime scene by washing away the blood from the floor. The officer involved in the shooting has been placed under house arrest as the Department of Internal Police Investigations probes the matter.

“That’s how the mafia works, not the police,” said Tibi during an interview to the TV station on Monday from the Knesset, regarding the alleged crime scene tampering.

Doron, who was in the Channel 13 studio, shouted back: “Shame on you, a member of the Israeli Knesset who calls the police a mafia.”

Tibi then yelled at the spokesman, “Shut your mouth,” and called him a “loser” and a “despicable Likud activist.”

In a statement, police said they “strongly condemn” Tibi’s words and said they were “not only slanderous, but constitute the criminal offense of insulting a public servant.”

The statement — presumably approved by Doron, the Israel Police’s chief spokesman — added that the politician’s alleged crime “will be dealt with accordingly.” Police also called on Tibi to issue a public apology, while demanding that the press “not provide a platform for such conduct.”

In response, Tibi on Monday sent a direct complaint to the Department of Internal Police Investigations, calling for an “immediate investigation” into Doron due to his “inappropriate behavior” as well as his “abuse of authority.”

As a sitting member of Knesset, Tibi enjoys parliamentary immunity, which applies automatically to any actions directly related to his official duties, including expressing an opinion. Pursuing any legal action against him would require the approval of the attorney general, which would be highly unlikely to be granted.

Tibi, who has served in the Knesset for more than 25 years, is one of the most well-known and outspoken Arab lawmakers in Israel, and has often been criticized for controversial comments and actions. In 2022, police sought to lift his immunity to pursue an investigation after he was accused of obstructing police during an attempted arrest in Jerusalem. No charges were ever filed.

Doron, a longtime Likud political activist, joined the Israel Police in 2021 and was appointed spokesman in 2024. He is known for his aggressive style, including using homophobic slurs in regular conversation.

In November, the ethics panel for public spokespeople — a committee within the Government Press Office — reprimanded Doron for his public derision of Haaretz reporter Josh Breiner.