Netanyahu to Meet Police Chief on Election Preparedness, Ben-Gvir to Attend

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to hold an unusual meeting on Sunday morning with Police Commissioner Dany Levy to discuss police preparations for the upcoming elections. Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir is expected to participate in the discussion. The meeting comes after Levy initially refused to attend a session on the matter on Thursday with Ben-Gvir alone. Ben-Gvir had convened a meeting last week, summoning the Police Commissioner and other senior officials. However, senior figures in the law enforcement system criticized the intention to hold such a discussion, questioning its professionalism. Concerns were raised that Ben-Gvir, who is expected to run in the elections, might exploit the meeting for his political gain. One senior law enforcement official told "Haaretz" prior to the meeting, "There is no need for Ben-Gvir to know the police's preparations, and there is a concern he will use what he hears there for his political needs." Following the "Haaretz" report, the Police Commissioner announced he would not attend, as did other senior officials, including the head of the Investigations and Intelligence Division. Ultimately, the head of the Operations Division and the head of the Operations Department in the police did attend, and Levy authorized them to provide only a brief overview. Earlier this month, Levy held a meeting on election matters with the police's senior command staff, the acting director general of the Central Elections Committee Dean Livneh, and representatives from the IDF and Shin Bet. According to the police, that discussion focused on the force's preparations for the elections, maintaining public order, and ensuring a proper and secure election process.