Israel Election Committee Chief Approves Phone Call, Not Meeting, Between PM and Police Commissioner

The Chairman of the Election Committee, Justice Noam Solberg, has ruled that a planned meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Police Commissioner Dany Levy will be a phone call, not an in-person meeting. The decision came after Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, petitioned the committee to block the meeting, arguing it was an attempt by Netanyahu to interfere with the upcoming elections. Solberg accepted Netanyahu's declaration that the call would not discuss election integrity or preparations, leading him to dismiss Eisenkot's petition.

Eisenkot had also sought the Attorney General's intervention, with Gali Baharav-Miara supporting his stance that political interference in election matters by the Prime Minister was inappropriate and unprecedented. However, Solberg's ruling permitted the phone conversation. The Prime Minister's office stated the discussion was a continuation of a security briefing due to threats, not related to election fairness.

Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir, who was initially slated to attend the meeting with Netanyahu and Levy, defended the original plan, calling it a routine procedure for ministers to review election preparations and security. He claimed previous ministers had conducted similar meetings. The Prime Minister's office also asserted that the meeting was a legitimate part of the political leadership's responsibility.

Despite the Attorney General's opposition to the meeting, Solberg's office confirmed that a representative from the Election Committee was not invited to the phone call. The controversy arose shortly after the Shin Bet announced it would provide security for Eisenkot, along with Yair Golan and Ofer Winter.