Former Judge Moshe Drori Emerges as Leading Candidate to Head Israel's Police Investigations Unit

Former judge Moshe Drori is reportedly a top candidate chosen by Israeli Justice Minister Yariv Levin to lead the Police Investigations Department (Mahash), according to a report by Aviad Glickman on Channel 13. Although the new Mahash law will only take effect in 2027, appointments for the director and head of the department are planned to precede the law's implementation, unless the Supreme Court issues an interim injunction to halt these moves.

Knesset member Moshe Saada, a key proponent of the new law, has publicly stated that the revamped Mahash will investigate Gali Baharav-Miara as a criminal, accusing her of persecuting various police officials. Drori aligns with Saada in this so-called "vengeance alliance" within the justice system. Both have criticized the current legal establishment, including the Supreme Court and the Attorney General, for obstructing investigations into law enforcement misconduct.

Drori previously led the controversial "Bugging Committee," which aimed to investigate top law enforcement officials but was stymied by legal and political obstacles. He accused the government legal advisors of overstepping their roles and blocking probes into police and prosecution corruption. Now, as potential head of Mahash, Drori would have authority to resolve jurisdictional disputes between Mahash and other bodies, potentially enabling investigations into the Attorney General and other senior officials.

The current structure of Mahash as a prosecutorial body under the Attorney General has faced criticism for conflicts of interest between prosecutors and police. The new law seeks to address these issues but raises concerns about politicizing law enforcement oversight. The Supreme Court previously limited Justice Minister Levin's attempts to appoint special investigators, but the new Mahash law may provide a fresh opportunity to install a politically aligned investigator.

This development signals a significant shift in Israel's law enforcement oversight, with key figures who have contentious histories with current officials poised to take charge of police investigations. The appointments could reshape the balance of power within Israel's criminal justice system ahead of the new law's formal enactment in 2027.