Israel's National Security Minister Seizes Police Procurement Powers
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has informed Police Commissioner Dani Levy that his ministry will directly handle urgent police procurement needs, bypassing the police force. In a letter dated September 10, Ben-Gvir asserted that the Israel Police does not belong to the commissioner and that his ministry will make direct purchases without transferring funds to the police. This move represents another attempt by Ben-Gvir to curtail the police's authority.
A senior police official criticized the initiative, stating the minister is "trying to become a super-commissioner," a criticism previously leveled against Ben-Gvir. The minister also addressed a dispute over hundreds of millions of shekels, arguing that the funds, specifically an additional approximately 450 million shekels, are part of the National Security Ministry's budget, not the police's.
Ben-Gvir initially intended these funds for police vehicles and station construction. However, he stated that after reviewing the police's requests, he found they included "non-urgent projects." He cited a specific example of a 7 million shekel request for renovations in the Lahav 433 unit, a project initiated last year without approval. He also questioned requests for new vehicles for senior police officials, including regional investigation unit commanders, deputy district commanders, and senior Border Police officers.
Consequently, Ben-Gvir announced he would "re-examine the allocations" for the police, Prison Service, and Fire Department. He argued that rank-and-file officers should not suffer due to "plans for ostentatious projects or the desires of various officials to curry favor with the media." He instructed his ministry staff to conduct direct procurement for urgent needs like operational police cars or infrastructure improvements, ensuring "proper and correct use of funds."
The conflict between Ben-Gvir and Levy has intensified recently over issues of police independence, appointments, promotions, and responses to Supreme Court rulings. They previously clashed publicly when Levy emphasized the police's obligation to obey court orders, with Ben-Gvir interrupting him. Ben-Gvir also blocked several promotions recommended by Levy and recently froze the appointments of 141 officers until the elections.
Sources indicate that working relations have deteriorated, with communication limited to essential matters. The conflict reignited when Levy criticized Ben-Gvir's decision to withhold 333 million shekels from the police budget, stating it "harms national security and the police's ability to cope with all its assigned tasks."
