Israeli National Security Minister and Police Commissioner Meet at Western Wall

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Police Commissioner Danny Levy met on Monday morning at the Western Wall, shaking hands after a prolonged period of estrangement. The meeting occurred during the Priestly Blessing ceremony, which Ben-Gvir attended to pray and Levy was present for police preparations.

Sources close to both men believe they will hold further discussions soon to bridge the gaps and move past their recent crisis. The rift between them stemmed from disagreements over police appointments and budgetary demands.

A key point of contention was police appointments, with Ben-Gvir announcing he would not approve new appointments during the election period, except in exceptional cases. Levy's office, however, indicated the Commissioner intended to proceed with appointments and expected the Minister's approval.

The tension escalated when Levy met with Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara without Ben-Gvir. Following this meeting, Ben-Gvir sent a sharp letter to Levy, stating he would not allow the police to become a "puppet on a string" for the Attorney General and asserting his authority as the responsible minister.

Levy subsequently convened senior command staff and approved a series of appointments, though their implementation requires the minister's signature. Ben-Gvir's associates viewed this as an attempt to pressure him through officers awaiting promotion. Budgetary issues also remained unresolved between the two.