State Prosecutor Sends Message to Police Investigations Unit Staff After Law Passes: 'The Knesset Has Decided the Issue'

A few hours after the Knesset approved the dramatic law concerning the structure and status of the Police Internal Investigations Department, State Prosecutor Amit Isman sent a special letter this morning to the department's employees: "We raised many objections regarding the implications for the law enforcement system".

A few hours after the approval of the Police Internal Investigations Department law, State Prosecutor Amit Isman sent a special and formal letter this morning (Thursday) to employees of the Police Internal Investigations Department (Mahash), following the overnight decision in the Knesset regarding the department's status and operating structure. In the letter, which was obtained by the newsroom, Isman referred to the professional battle waged by the State Attorney's Office against the move throughout the legislative process. "Throughout the legislative process, I and many professional officials in the law enforcement system presented positions, comments and professional reservations regarding the bill, its meaning and its implications for the law enforcement system in the State of Israel," the State Prosecutor wrote to the employees, but clarified, "The Knesset has decided the issue."

"A transition period and significant preparation"

Isman explained to the department's employees that the new law includes a transition period and significant preparation, during which various state bodies will need to deal with complex legal, organizational and practical aspects related to its implementation on the ground.

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Later in the letter, the State Prosecutor sought to strengthen current and former Mahash employees, and expressed deep appreciation for their professional and dedicated work over the years, stressing the department's historic importance in preserving the rule of law, integrity and public trust.

"To act without fear and without bias"

The State Prosecutor ended the letter with a clear message about the department's future and the values that must guide it even under the new structure: "Mahash's importance rests on its professionalism, the substance of its work, the independence of its judgment and its ability to act without fear and without bias. These values are a basic condition for public trust."