National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir at the scene of the shooting in Yafia (Eli Ashkenazi)
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir is expected to formally inform Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai on Thursday that he will not extend his term for another year. The meeting, which will take place in the minister's office in Jerusalem, will take place in the shadow of a genuine crisis of trust between the two and a public skirmish for several months. Ben-Gvir's announcement to Shabtai means that the latter will end his term at the end of the year, and the battle for police commissioner will officially begin.
The senior command staff and their subordinate officers in the police are closely monitoring the relations between the two, some of whom are worried, and for good reason, since their promotion to the next position will be decided in the mood of the police commissioner and Minister Ben-Gvir, who are currently engaged in bending hands. In the meantime, Ben-Gvir managed to sharply criticize the conduct of the police commissioner and senior police officials on several occasions, the most prominent and public of which was his letter to the police commissioner and the Tel Aviv district commander regarding the arrest of an ultra-Orthodox demonstrator against the city's gay pride parade. Ben-Gvir accused the two of not implementing his policy.
Shabtai and Ben-Gvir (Photo: Image processing, Flash 90)
Meanwhile, earlier this week Channel 12 News reported that one of the leading candidates for the position is Chief Yoram Sofer, commander of the coastal district of the police, who has made headlines in recent months due to the aggressiveness and severe violence used by his district police against opponents of the legal revolution. "For me, they didn't close roads, and if they did, I dealt with it harshly," Sofer said in an interview. "Bullying is bullying. Whoever attacks police officers attacks the state, the State of Israel, not me personally. Whoever spits on police officers spits on the State of Israel, so if they have to be arrested, they should be arrested."
"If you want to do something against democracy, there are elections, I'm not the tool," Sofer added, arguing that the measures taken by some of the protesters against the legal revolution are ostensibly steps "against democracy." Asked how he would act if he had to say "no" to the minister and refuse one of his demands, Sofer replied: "What do you mean? Why do you have to tell the minister no? You have to understand more or less what the minister's direction is, and to this day I haven't seen a single time that the minister told me, 'Do something.'"
A senior police officer said following Sofer's remarks: "Everyone now wants to please Ben-Gvir, but without drawing too much attention. If the minister comes for a visit, they want him to think that everything is normal and everything is fine. Why quarrel with a minister who might be here for a long time and that could affect their promotion."
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- Itamar Ben-Gvir
- Israel Police
- Kobi Shabtai