Under new orders, police to only salute Ben Gvir, no other cabinet ministers
Supreme Court judges to also no longer receive show of respect, though president and prime minister will; after media reports of change, cops say instructions will be reviewed
Under new orders issued by Israel Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai, officers are no longer required to salute cabinet ministers — except National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who will still receive the show of respect.
Supreme Court justices are also not to be saluted, though the gesture is still required for the prime minister, president, and Knesset speaker.
The new orders, sent out earlier this week, were to replace instructions laid down in 2019. According to those rules, which described protocols at formal events, police officers were required to salute the president, prime minister, cabinet ministers, the Knesset speaker, Supreme Court judges, and visiting foreign state dignitaries.
But the new order removed the salute from other cabinet members, aside from Ben Gvir who is responsible for police. Visiting dignitaries were also removed from the list, which instead included new entries of the IDF chief of staff, and the heads of the prison service, Shin Bet security service, Mossad and Israel Fire and Rescue Service.
In the wake of media reports about the change, the Israel Police said in a statement that Shabtai had instructed those who prepared the new orders to take another look at them “and to put together recommendations within a week on this matter.”
“As is customary, from time to time, and at the same time as additional orders and procedures are updated, the order was updated under the direction of the head of the Human Resources Division,” the statement said.
A police source told the Ynet outlet, “It wasn’t the wisest thing at this time to mess with canceling the obligation of saluting the Supreme Court judges or to differentiate between Ben Gvir and the rest of the government ministers.”
The new orders come at a time of political crisis over the government’s plan to overhaul the judiciary by reducing some of its powers, in a move opponents say will dangerously erode Israel’s democratic character. The far-right Ben Gvir staunchly supports the overhaul plan and has urged police to take a firm hand with those participating in months of mass protests against the legislation.
Protest leaders responded in a statement that the new police orders are “the height of megalomania” by Ben Gvir, whom they called “the most failed minister in the history of Israel.”
