Thirty days have passed since the horrific Hamas attack on the surrounding communities. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who as an oppositionist did not hesitate to exploit every bloody incident to signal failure and present an alternative, has since escaped any trace of the accursed attack that might connect him to the serious security and civilian failure that occurred on his watch. Instead of facing the public and answering probing questions, Ben-Gvir has been busy for the past month taking pictures with guns, as if he were a weapon in quarters and not a minister who bears responsibility for what happened.
Press conference Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and the Police Commissioner // Photo: Yoni Rikner
Much has already been said and will be said about the heroic battles of police officers and Hamas terrorists. It is also important to note that the neglect and weakening of police stations meant that a few policemen, overwhelmed by the burden of their routine tasks, were required to repel the terrorists with their bodies and paid with their lives.
Today it is clear that if the months since the establishment of the government had not been wasted on quarrels and debates between the minister and the police commissioner over powers and manners of honor that contributed to weakening the police, but were allocated to the rapid implementation of the lessons of Guardian of the Walls, a "National Guard" could have been established by October 6 with thousands of police officers trained in fighting terrorism. Today it is clear that Israel needs a strong police force with a strong border police, not a strong border guard with a weak police.
Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai. Be busy fighting, photo: Herzi Shapira
Since its establishment, the Ministry of National Security has been headed by two types of ministers: those who had not been politicians in their previous positions, and those who, because they were politicians, won the position. Ben-Gvir, a shrewd politician, is already preparing for the day after and relying on the public's short memory. Since 7 October, he has been busy distributing weapons to the public, and no less – he is busy documenting himself.
The distribution of weapons is a worthy task, but it is a copy-paste of the minister's statements when he took office about the need to strengthen the alert squads as part of the preparations for Guardian of the Walls 2 – and not as a need born of the horrific attack on 7 October. To Ben-Gvir's credit, he did not share the concept. He was right that the conditions of the security prisoners should be more stringent, but the worsening did not happen because he succeeded in convincing the cabinet, but because of the Hamas attack.
"A sense of mission." Police fighting near Sderot, Photo: Reuters
The police are the microcosm of Israeli society. The police, like the citizens, have proven their necessity in times of emergency, and like them, they have suffered for years not only from a poor image, but from criminal weakening on the part of every government that has served, especially the current one. Therefore, with the need to renew civil dignity, police dignity must also be restored, and better yet.
It is necessary to carefully plan what police stations will look like in the future, especially in the seamline area. We must also employ the best minds and economists to find a solution that will cause young people to join the organization at an appropriate salary. The Minister of National Security is required to immediately release appointments that have been stuck on his desk for a long time, and explain why in such a sensitive security period there is still no commander for the Samaria Police District. In addition, he must ration the length of the commissioner's term so that it will be possible to build, together with the police leadership, its next command staff.
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