Israeli Election Chief Allows Netanyahu-Ben-Gvir Meeting with Police Commissioner on Condition

Israeli Central Elections Committee Chairman Judge Noam Sohlberg has ruled that a phone meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir, and Police Commissioner Dani Levy is permissible, provided the integrity of the elections is not discussed or instructed upon. The decision followed objections from the Legal Advisor to the Government, Gali Baharav-Miara, and the head of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, Gadi Eisenkot, to the meeting Netanyahu had called for Sunday, titled "Election Integrity." Sohlberg affirmed that Netanyahu and Ben-Gvir could discuss public order issues with the police commissioner, but stressed that election preparations and integrity were outside their purview.

The proposed meeting drew criticism, particularly as Netanyahu is a candidate in the elections. Neither the Leader of the Opposition Yair Lapid nor a representative from the Central Elections Committee was invited. Baharav-Miara and Eisenkot had requested the meeting's cancellation. The Yisrael Beiteinu party had formally petitioned the government's legal advisor and the Central Elections Committee to immediately cancel the meeting. Baharav-Miara supported this stance, stating such a meeting was inappropriate and she was unaware of similar past occurrences, contrary to claims by the Prime Minister's office that it was standard procedure before elections.

Eisenkot argued that Netanyahu, as a candidate, should not be responsible for ensuring election integrity, nor is the police commissioner subordinate to him in this regard. He expressed concern that the exceptional meeting could create an unfounded impression of election manipulation, potentially undermining public trust in the results beforehand. In a post on "X," Eisenkot accused Netanyahu of interfering in the elections and urged him and his associates to distance themselves from the electoral process, vowing to oppose any attempt to compromise its integrity.

Ben-Gvir defended the meeting, calling the police commissioner's briefing on election preparations a routine and acceptable step. He stated it is a minister's duty to examine security preparations, ask questions, and identify potential vulnerabilities to prevent endangering lives. He added that a meeting between the Prime Minister, National Security Minister, and Police Commissioner is legitimate in a democracy and falls within the responsibilities of the political echelon.

Netanyahu's lawyer, Ilan Bombach, responded to Sohlberg by explaining that security agencies had received serious warnings of terrorist threats aimed at preventing or influencing the elections. He stated the call with the police commissioner was to get an updated security assessment for election day and suggested Sohlberg could send an election committee representative to the discussion.

Separately, Police Commissioner Levy met with Dean Levne, Acting Director-General of the Central Elections Committee, about a week and a half prior. The meeting, attended by senior police commanders and representatives from the IDF and Shin Bet, discussed maintaining public order and ensuring secure, organized elections. Levy emphasized the police's professional and apolitical nature, prohibiting officers from expressing political views while on duty. Levne praised the cooperation between the committee and the police, expressing confidence in the police's ability to ensure the election's integrity.

In related news, the Joint List and the human rights center "Adalah" filed a petition with the Israeli Supreme Court last week requesting a ban on observers and other staff at polling stations carrying weapons. This followed announcements by the Likud and Religious Zionism parties on October 15th of their intention to deploy approximately 2,000 observers in polling stations in areas with high Arab populations, many of whom are students from Religious Zionism's seminaries. The petitioners warned that armed individuals in polling stations, amid a tense political climate and rhetoric portraying Arab citizens as a threat to election integrity, could deter voters, lead to violent confrontations, and endanger lives.