Justice Minister Yariv Levin Controls Committee Selecting Police Investigations Heads Amid Controversy
The new selection committee for appointing the heads of the Police Investigations Department (Mahash) has come under scrutiny for being dominated by Justice Minister Yariv Levin. The committee, responsible for choosing the department’s director and chief investigator, includes five members, with three appointed by Levin’s office, effectively giving him a controlling majority. This arrangement was revealed in an update to the Supreme Court (Bagatz), highlighting a manipulative process in forming the committee.
The government legal advisor joined petitioners opposing the appointments, arguing that key sensitive positions should not be filled during election periods, especially when the nominees are politically aligned and could restrict the incoming government’s authority. The committee’s composition includes Itamar Dunenfeld, the ministry’s CEO and Levin’s confidant, and criminal lawyer Avi Amiram, both appointed by Levin. The fourth member, appointed by the Civil Service Commissioner Doron Cohen in consultation with Dunenfeld, was selected through a process that critics say was a mere formality, ensuring Levin’s preferred candidate was chosen. The fifth member is a retired judge appointed by the State Comptroller from the opposition side.
Critics argue that the consultation process for the fourth member was flawed, as Dunenfeld, not a legal expert but Levin’s proxy, effectively dictated the appointment. This setup is seen as enabling Levin and the government to install a Mahash leadership aligned with their agenda, fulfilling the vision of MK Moshe Saada to appoint a right-wing head who could investigate the government legal advisor Gali Baharav-Miara. Mahash holds significant enforcement powers over police, Shin Bet, prosecutors, lawyers, journalists, and civil society actors.
The Supreme Court is expected to decide on issuing an interim injunction to halt the appointment process, following petitions from the Movement for Quality Government, the Bar Association, and the Academia for Israel’s Democracy, now joined by the government legal advisor. After failing to appoint a preferred investigator in a previous case, Levin is poised to gain broader influence over law enforcement oversight.
Separately, recent polls show the Likud party losing support due to perceptions of a judicial coup led by Levin, rather than the October 7 attacks. Paradoxically, Likud voters view Levin as too moderate and prefer Tali Gottlieb, who is seen as more hardline. This dynamic signals significant political challenges ahead for the party in upcoming elections.
