Power Struggle Erupts Between Israel's Attorney General and Police Leadership Over Key Appointments

A fierce power struggle has erupted between Israel's Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and the police leadership over senior appointments within the Israel Police. After a prolonged freeze in high-level police promotions, a scheduled round of appointments for deputy commissioner roles was abruptly canceled. The cancellation followed Baharav-Miara's demand to appoint Tamar Liberty, a close ally aligned with her agenda, as Deputy Attorney General for the police to counterbalance the influence of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. When the police commissioner, Danny Levi, refused and sought to promote a different candidate due to Liberty's reportedly poor evaluations, Baharav-Miara ordered a halt to the entire appointment process.

The conflict came to light following a recent meeting between Baharav-Miara and Levi, where she expressed concerns that Ben-Gvir had effectively taken control over the police legal advisory role. Levi consulted with Ben-Gvir, who vetoed Liberty's appointment. The police leadership claims the freeze is also a response to ongoing leaks from senior police ranks to the media, which Levi demands stop. As a result, critical senior police command positions remain vacant, prolonging operational stagnation within the force.

This internal dispute highlights a broader battle over who will control key leadership roles in the Israel Police amid political tensions. The police are now grappling with discontent among officers awaiting promotion and the challenge of maintaining organizational stability while the appointment deadlock continues.