Police Commissioner Pushes for Accelerated $80 Million Headquarters Renovation
The Israeli Police are accusing National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir of delaying the transfer of NIS 300 million to the organization, with a significant portion earmarked for an estimated NIS 80 million renovation of the National Headquarters' "Bunker." Police Commissioner Danny Levy is reportedly pushing to expedite the project's timeline, with sources suggesting his motivation is to inaugurate the renovated facility before his term concludes in approximately one year.
One individual familiar with the plan described the renovation as "ostentatious and unnecessary." The original plan envisioned the project spanning two years, but the Commissioner recently requested the full budget to accelerate its completion, allegedly so he can "cut the ribbon himself" before his tenure ends.
The dispute between the Minister and the Commissioner is escalating, with Ben-Gvir's office claiming that since his decision to halt a round of police appointments, Commissioner Levy and his aide have attempted to contact the Minister "dozens of times" without success. They assert that only one brief conversation has occurred since the decision, with no further response. A senior police official denied this, stating, "Nothing like this ever happened."
Despite the Commissioner's announcement two weeks prior to postpone appointments until after the elections, senior command staff convened to discuss the placement of deputy commissioner-level officers. Following this meeting and amid a breakdown in discussions over a list of agreed-upon names for the following day, Minister Ben-Gvir informed the Commissioner that no appointments would be made until after the elections. However, the police proceeded with the discussion, prompting the Minister to send a letter ordering an immediate halt to any appointment rounds.
Ben-Gvir's office stated that if urgent appointments are necessary, the Commissioner must provide justification, and the Minister will need to be convinced of their urgency.
