Police’s top legal adviser to retire, a year after police chief sought his dismissal
Outgoing legal counsel Elazar Kahana criticized Ben Gvir’s bid to promote cop under probe for assault; police chief stopped short of dismissing him after AG froze move
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Assistant Commissioner Elazar Kahana, the top legal adviser to the Israel Police, will retire from the force in February, police announced Saturday.
Kahana served as the force’s legal counsel over the course of four and a half years before submitting his resignation, which was accepted by police chief Danny Levy.
His resignation came a year after Levy sought to dismiss Kahana as legal adviser and put him in charge of the police’s prosecution division, considered a less powerful role.
However, Levy stopped short after Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara wrote him a letter freezing the move, which she claimed was illegal.
Earlier in 2024, Kahana had opposed National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s failed bid to promote Supt. Meir Suissa and allow him to command his own police station — after he was indicted for throwing a stun grenade into a crowd of anti-government protesters.
This summer, the outgoing legal counsel signed onto an affidavit submitted by the attorney general against Ben Gvir’s refusal to sign off on the promotion of Supt. Rinat Saban, a police detective who helped investigate Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s graft case.
Kahana is expected to retire on February 15, after spending three decades in law enforcement. Police said that they will soon begin the process to choose his successor.
Levy thanked Kahana for “30 years of intensive and professional service and wished him success in the future,” police said in a statement.
The Times of Israel Community.