MK Rotman Criticizes Government Legal Advisor Over Police Investigations Reform

MK Simcha Rotman, chair of the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, sharply criticized the Israeli government legal advisor, Gali Baharav-Miara, regarding the necessity of the Police Investigations Department (Mahash) law. In an interview on the "We Are the Majority" program on Galei Yisrael radio, Rotman emphasized that this legislation is a critical step in reforming Israel's judicial system. He explained that Mahash had become subordinate to the Ministry of Justice's prosecution department, creating conflicts of interest since the prosecution itself was involved in investigations.

Rotman detailed the problem, stating that police officers felt compelled to follow prosecution directives to avoid trouble with Mahash, which compromised the independence of investigations. He warned that prosecutors could potentially evade accountability under the current system, as no independent body investigates them. To address this, the proposed law would remove Mahash from the prosecution's authority, making it an independent department whose head could exercise discretion in opening investigations.

Rotman concluded by directly addressing the ongoing legal and public struggle over the law, saying that Gali Baharav-Miara "is raging because she realized the party is over." He also declared that the days of bowing to the "deep state" are over, signaling a significant shift in the balance of power within Israel's justice system.