Israeli Attorney General Warns Political Appointments in Police Investigations Unit Could Undermine Elections

Israeli Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara issued a formal warning to the Supreme Court on August 13, 2026, expressing concern over political appointments being made to the sensitive Police Investigations Department (Mahash). She cautioned that such appointments during the current period could intimidate police officers and prosecutors, potentially harming the integrity of upcoming elections.

Baharav-Miara highlighted that Justice Minister Yariv Levin has already begun appointing members to the new committee established under the revised Mahash law, which is responsible for appointing or dismissing senior officials within the unit. She noted that three out of the five committee members are either direct representatives of the minister or significantly influenced by him. The committee can operate with just three members, raising the risk that all decisions could be controlled by ministerial appointees.

The Attorney General urged restraint during the election period to prevent political considerations from dominating these critical appointments, warning that such actions could create irreversible facts for the incoming government and severely impair Mahash’s and the broader law enforcement system’s functioning. She emphasized the chilling effect these appointments could have on law enforcement personnel.

Last month, Baharav-Miara called on the Supreme Court to issue an interim injunction to halt the implementation of the new Mahash law, describing it as a "political prosecution unit" that would intimidate police, investigators, prosecutors, and journalists. She argued that the law undermines the independence and operational capacity of law enforcement agencies without sufficient justification before a final ruling on the law’s validity.

Her warnings underscore ongoing tensions regarding the politicization of law enforcement oversight in Israel amid a sensitive electoral period.