Israel's Attorney General Blocks PM Netanyahu's Meeting With Police Chief

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara has instructed Police Commissioner Danny Levy not to attend a scheduled meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The meeting was intended to discuss the police's preparations for election day, particularly in light of security threats. The directive came after the "Yashr!" party, led by Gadi Eisenkot, petitioned the Supreme Court to cancel the meeting, arguing it could compromise the integrity of the elections.

Prime Minister Netanyahu, through his attorney Ilan Bombach, rejected these claims in a response to the petition. He stated the meeting was a professional work session to complete a security assessment that began last Thursday with the participation of the IDF Chief of Staff, Shin Bet chief, and Mossad chief. This prior discussion, Netanyahu explained, addressed "dramatic and severe" security warnings concerning potential terrorist activities aimed at disrupting the elections. Since the Police Commissioner did not attend that initial meeting, a follow-up was planned to brief him on the police's readiness.

Despite Netanyahu's explanation of the security concerns, the "Yashr!" party maintained its objection, fearing the meeting would create the appearance of election interference and erode public trust. Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, who also chairs the Central Elections Committee, had requested responses from all parties involved before the Attorney General's decision. Netanyahu had offered for Sohlberg to send a representative to the meeting to observe its security-focused nature.

The petition was filed just two days before the Knesset elections. The "Yashr!" party asserted that the Prime Minister, as a candidate himself, is not the appropriate authority to oversee election integrity. The office of the Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, also dismissed criticism, stating that reviewing police preparedness is part of the political leadership's responsibility and a legitimate democratic process.

Eisenkot, however, accused Netanyahu of attempting to sabotage the elections, calling the planned meeting a "dangerous intervention" that violates proper conduct and risks election integrity. He urged public servants to maintain their professional independence and loyalty to the state rather than to any individual leader.