Top West Bank cop revealed as suspect in shadowy case linked to Ben Gvir
Ultranationalist minister rushes to defend Cdr. Avishai Mualem, lauding his fight against Arab terrorism and reiterating claim that detentions are part of AG’s effort to oust him
A senior officer detained in a probe linked to National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir was revealed Tuesday to be Cdr. Avishai Mualem, a senior officer in the Israel Police’s West Bank division, after a court lifted a gag order on his identity.
Mualem was detained and questioned by the Department of Internal Police Investigations on Monday along with Israel Prison Service Chief Commissioner Kobi Yaakobi and another as-yet-unnamed officer.
While many of the details in the case remain under a gag order, it is said to be linked to illicit efforts by the officers to benefit the far-right minister.
Mualem was reported to be suspected of leaking classified information to the national security minister, who allegedly promised him a promotion in return.
The police’s West Bank division has reportedly been the subject of frustration for the Shin Bet security service in recent months, due to its alleged general unprofessional behavior, and in particular, the conduct of the department tasked with dealing with Jewish terrorism.
Ben Gvir claimed more than once on Monday that the arrest of Yaakobi and the police officers was part of his ongoing dispute with Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara over her push to have him dismissed for repeatedly intervening in operational police matters and allegedly politicizing promotions.
On Tuesday afternoon, after Mualem’s name was cleared for publication, Ben Gvir jumped to the senior officer’s defense, writing in a post on X that “he put the security of the settlers in Judea and Samaria as a top priority, and focused on the fight against Arab terrorism instead of chasing and harassing boys with markers” — a reference to alleged graffiti and vandalism of Palestinian property by Israeli settlers.
He claimed that Mualem was arrested “because he has been implementing my policies,” repeating his accusation that the detentions were part of the attorney general’s bid for his ouster.
Shin Bet officers have become increasingly frustrated with the lack of cooperation from the police division on cases regarding Jewish terror.
According to the Haaretz daily, Shin Bet officials have raised serious complaints in recent months about Mualem’s approach to the role, saying he had not devoted any attention to acting against nationalistic crimes.
The paper cited sources within the defense community describing the officer as mainly concerned with doing Ben Gvir’s bidding.
A senior officer in the West Bank division quoted anonymously by the Ynet news site indicated Mualem fell under Ben Gvir’s thrall to secure a long-awaited promotion, and that there was an implicit understanding in the division that officers must do his bidding without needing to be told explicitly.
“It’s enough to see who is getting promoted and how they are moved up and how quickly to understand that there is something here that is different from what we are used to,” the officer was quoted as saying.
‘Head held high’
Ben Gvir was also supportive of Yaakobi on Monday, posting on social media, “We love you, Kobi. The people are with you against the attorney general’s coup d’état,” with an accompanying photo of himself together with the chief prison warden.
אוהבים אותך קובי
העם איתך נגד ההפיכה השלטונית של היועמ"שית ????????❤️ pic.twitter.com/90UEGu2Pxu— איתמר בן גביר (@itamarbengvir) December 2, 2024
Yaakobi expressed defiance Tuesday, telling the crowd at a prison service conference that after his interrogation, “I left through the front door with my head held high, without hiding, because I was doing the right thing,” according to an attendee.
Ben Gvir, who heads the far-right Otzma Yehudit party, promoted Yaakobi to head of the prison service earlier this year amid criticism that the nomination was politically motivated, as he had previously served as Ben Gvir’s security secretary.
According to Hebrew media reports, Yaakobi is suspected of having asked a female police officer to request that another person remove certain messages on the Telegram app that were deemed detrimental to Ben Gvir.
Ynet news reported that the officer indicated to the third person that their career advancement would depend on them agreeing to the request. The outlet did not offer any further details on the role or position of the third person.
