The attorney-general argued that Ben-Gvir’s continued interference in internal affairs constitutes violations of the Israel Police’s independence.
Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s continued political interference in police operations threatens the fundamental principle of police independence, which could lead to his ousting.
In a Tuesday letter to Netanyahu, Baharav-Miara reminded him that “in April 2025, following discussions held with you and with the minister, a document of principles regarding the interface between the national security minister and the Israel Police was submitted to the court.”
That document, she noted, was filed “with the minister’s consent,” and included safeguards aimed at “reducing, as much as possible and immediately, the concerns about harming police operations and the rule of law.” These principles, she added, were designed to protect police from improper political influence and “came into force immediately.”
To formalize those safeguards, an interministerial team was established and recently completed its work. However, Baharav-Miara wrote, “to date, the national security ministry has not yet responded” to the finalized regulations.
Despite the agreed framework, the attorney-general claimed that Ben-Gvir continues to violate it. She said he published a protest policy document and interferes in police investigations, including those of officers, civilians, and public officials, breaching the principles established by the High Court “in a frequent manner.”
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir attends a Knesset committee meeting on advancing the death penalty for terrorists bill, November 19, 2025. (credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
According to her, his actions are driven by “the minister’s political interests and positions,” and convey to law enforcement “a clear message” about preferred outcomes.
She stated that “the law and the agreed principles are one thing, and the reality on the ground is another,” asserting that the minister is violating legal commitments and court decisions. The repeated interference, she said, renders protections for police independence “a dead letter.”
As an example, she pointed to his public support for senior officers under investigation. In the case of Cmdr. Avishai Moalem, Ben-Gvir wrote that he “suffered persecution by the Shin Bet. I believe in his innocence, and am certain he will be promoted to his rank, as befits a man who acted with integrity and dedication.”
In response to an indictment filed against Deputy Commissioner Kobi Yaakobi, Ben-Gvir said: “I declare clearly and firmly: I give my full backing to Deputy Commissioner Kobi Yaakobi, who will of course remain in his position, and continue to perform it as he has until now, with determination, professionalism, and without favoritism, despite the attorney general’s displeasure and her criminal behavior.”
Ben-Gvir’s actions send ‘a chilling message’
She further accused the minister of improper involvement in police appointments, referencing the case of Chief Inspector Rinat Saban. Although Ben-Gvir initially approved her promotion, he later refused to sign off on it, allegedly because she had testified in Netanyahu’s criminal trial and in a separate criminal matter involving Netanyahu associates. Baharav-Miara called this “an illegal decision,” made against the advice of senior police officials. She said the move sends a chilling message to law enforcement officers handling politically sensitive cases. Because the issue involves Netanyahu directly, she added, further details would appear in the state’s court response.
She argued that Ben-Gvir’s conduct resembles that of a “super commissioner,” citing his involvement in field operations, direct communication with civilians during police activity, and political messaging that blurs the line between law enforcement and political influence. These actions, she said, create an improper link between police authority and political interest.
Baharav-Miara also warned that the evidentiary basis on which the High Court approved Ben-Gvir’s ministerial appointment “has changed fundamentally,” and that the legal foundations of that ruling have been undermined. With the failure of attempts to enforce effective safeguards, she concluded, “it is no longer possible to protect the independence of the police” from ongoing political interference. The agreed principles, she added, “do not address his repeated unlawful conduct.”
As a result, she argued, the claims raised in pending legal petitions, such as the request for a conditional order, rest on solid legal and factual grounds, due to “the severity of the harm to fundamental principles of police power in a democratic state.”
Baharav-Miara told Netanyahu that his response is required regarding the issues raised in the letter, including “the entirety of events that occurred before MK Ben-Gvir’s appointment as minister and during both periods of his tenure,” before she finalizes her position on the petitions.
Ben-Gvir’s response
Ben-Gvir issued a strongly worded response, saying: “Gali Baharav-Miara is a criminal who obstructed investigations in matters in which the High Court ruled she has a conflict of interest. She fabricates cases against elected officials, public servants, and senior officers, openly seeks to carry out a coup against a democratically elected government, cancel laws, derail decisions, and thwart appointments, and now, the pinnacle, an attempt to fire elected officials. I will not rest, and I will not be silent until her actions are investigated. Israel will not become a mafia state.”