Israel's National Security Minister Seizes Police Funding Control
Israel's Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, announced on September 10th a significant shift in police funding, stating his ministry will now handle urgent procurements independently, bypassing police channels. This move, reported by Ynet, involves approximately 450 million shekels in budgetary allocations that Ben-Gvir asserts belong to his ministry, not the police, and will be under his direct oversight.
In a letter to Police Commissioner Dani Levy, Ben-Gvir declared that "the Israel Police does not belong to the commissioner," citing a need for proper state fund utilization. He criticized current police spending practices, labeling some requests as "non-urgent projects." Examples cited include a 7 million shekel renovation at the Lahav-433 unit, initiated without approval, and the replacement of vehicles for senior officers.
Ben-Gvir expressed concern that rank-and-file officers might suffer due to leadership's pursuit of "showy projects." This decision escalates an ongoing dispute between the minister and the police commissioner over police independence, appointments, and adherence to court rulings.
The conflict intensified previously when Ben-Gvir withheld 333 million shekels from the police budget, a move the commissioner deemed detrimental to national security. Police officials have characterized Ben-Gvir's latest initiative as an attempt to become a "super-commissioner."
The same event, reported separately by each outlet. Open a few to compare what different newsrooms emphasize — and what they leave out.
Not the same event — other stories that share this one’s people, places, or theme: background, reactions, and follow-ups.
