The calm after the storm? Shabtai arrived at the Bat Mitzvah of Ben Gabir's daughter Israel today

Moving away - getting closer:

Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai arrived this evening (Thursday) for the Bat Mitzvah of the daughter of the designated Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir.

Commissioner Shabtai arrived at the Bat Mitzvah of his daughter, Minister-designate Ben Gabir

The visit may be surprising, after Israel Hayom published for the first time the latest tensions between the two.

Ben Gvir sent a stern letter to the legal advisor to the government, Gali Beharve-Miara, in which he claimed that the commissioner and the minister of internal security, Amr Bar-Lev, were carrying out "a secret appointment of senior police officers on the eve of the new government's entry".

In the meantime, this evening the bill was submitted to amend the Police Ordinance, which anchors the authority of the Minister of Internal Security to outline police policy.

According to the bill, the Israel Police will be subordinate to the government and the commissioner will be subordinate to the minister. Also according to the proposal, the minister will not interfere in specific investigations but will be able to guide policy in matters of investigations as well.

Law change is on the way.

MK Ben Gabir and Commissioner Shabtai (archive), photo: Koko

The explanatory notes to the bill state that: "As we know, a basic principle in modern democracy is that the political level - i.e. the elected officials - outline policy and guide, and the executive level implements this policy. Accordingly, and in order to create a coherent legislative fabric, which is in line with the aforementioned basic principle In Risha, it is proposed to apply a similar arrangement in the police order, as far as the relations between the Israel Police and the government and the appointed minister are concerned."

MK Ben Gabir said in response: "This is an important day for democracy.

Subordination of the police to policy instructions determined by the minister can be found in the laws of various countries in the world, such as in Australia where the minister of police can instruct the chief of police on a general policy concerning police activity;

In New Zealand, where the subordination of the chief of police to the minister is fixed, except in matters of concrete operations or investigations;

And in England, next to the subordination of each district police commander to an elected body in the district, the National Crime Agency is also subject to the instructions of the Minister of the Interior in determining the strategic priorities, and from now on - also in the State of Israel."

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