Israeli Attorney General Opposes Police Investigation Reform Law, Warns of Political Interference

The Israeli Attorney General, Gali Baharav-Miara, has formally opposed the recently passed Police Investigations Department (Machash) reform law, submitting her response to the Supreme Court on July 27, 2026. She requested a freeze on the law’s implementation, arguing it is politically motivated and risks undermining police officers, prosecutors, and journalists. The law, advanced by the coalition before the previous government's term ended, detaches Machash from the State Prosecutor’s Office and places it under the Ministry of Justice, with leadership appointed by a politically influenced committee.

Baharav-Miara warned that the law creates a new supervisory role with unprecedented powers to delay or obstruct criminal investigations at their sole discretion. She cautioned that this could turn investigations into political tools, compromising the independence and fairness essential to Israel’s judicial system. The law also grants the head of Machash authority to investigate a broad range of issues, including leaks to the media, allowing journalists to be summoned and pressured to reveal sources.

Dr. Guy Luria of the Israel Democracy Institute echoed these concerns, highlighting the potential damage to the independence of investigations, the fight against corruption, and public trust in law enforcement. He noted that the law’s severing of Machash from the legal advisory system could harm the fairness and effectiveness of investigations and ultimately affect citizens’ access to justice.

The law’s sponsor, Knesset Member Moshe Saada, dismissed the Attorney General’s objections as personal and baseless, asserting that the new department will be led by a principled individual focused solely on justice, ending immunity for offenders within law enforcement. The Supreme Court is expected to review petitions against the law, with the Attorney General urging a suspension of its enforcement pending judicial review.