Senior police official detained over suspected breach of trust, abuse of authority

Investigators from the Department for Internal Police Investigations (DIPI) have detained one of Israel’s most senior police officers for questioning under caution on suspicion of breach of trust and abuse of authority, the Justice Ministry said Wednesday night.

The officer, who holds the rank of deputy commissioner and oversees several sensitive investigations, is suspected of interfering in a probe being conducted by Lahav 433, the police’s major crimes unit, reportedly to assist a businessman believed to be close to him.

On Thursday morning, Hebrew media reported that the case he allegedly sought to influence had not yet been made public and was still in its early stages.

“This is a case that is not yet known to the public,” sources familiar with the details told the Ynet news outlet.

According to DIPI, the officer allegedly intervened in the case, in which he had a conflict of interest that he didn’t report, and took various actions to influence how it was handled within his unit.

Following more than seven hours of interrogation, Hebrew media reported that he was released around midnight Wednesday night under restrictive conditions, including a nine-day ban from entering police facilities and a prohibition on contacting anyone involved in the case.

A gag order issued by the Jerusalem District Court forbids the publication of most details of the investigation. The name of the officer remained sealed as of Thursday morning under a law forbidding publication of suspects’ names for the first 48 hours after questioning or until a court hearing is held.

DIPI and Israel Police have reportedly formed a joint special investigative team, and numerous senior officers — including Police Commissioner Danny Levy and members of the suspect’s close circle — have been required to sign confidentiality agreements to prevent leaks, according to Ynet.

Levy reportedly summoned police command staff for an urgent meeting following the detention and is expected to appoint Assistant Commissioner Eli Macmel, currently head of Lahav 433’s National Fraud Investigation Unit, as a temporary replacement should the deputy commissioner be suspended pending the investigation.

Senior officers in the force expressed shock and disbelief over the allegations.

“We’re talking about one of the sharpest and most respected deputy commissioners in the organization,” one senior official told the Maariv news site. “He holds one of the most senior investigative roles, so he understands the sensitivity of ongoing cases. Frankly, the suspicions don’t make sense to us. If the details are true, this is more than an earthquake. Until proven otherwise, we still believe in his integrity.”

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, whose ministry oversees the police, was quoted in Hebrew media on Thursday saying he believes in the innocence of the detained officer, and opposes appointing Macmel as his temporary replacement.

Ben Gvir has repeatedly and publicly clashed with the police, including a case currently playing out in court in which he is accused of blocking the promotion of a policewoman involved in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption case.

The dramatic development on Wednesday also came amid turmoil surrounding other investigations — including a High Court battle over who should oversee the probe into Military Advocate General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi’s role in the Sde Teiman leak affair.

That case has deepened tensions between Justice Minister Yariv Levin and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, after both sides refused to compromise on the identity of the official to accompany the inquiry. During a tense hearing on Tuesday, Supreme Court justices “implored” the opposing sides to come to a compromise agreement.

The legal conflict over who will have authority over the criminal investigation into the leak — and the alleged cover-up — has sparked a severe political furor and laid bare ongoing societal divides over the law enforcement and justice systems.