Knesset Advances Controversial Police Legislation for Itamar Ben-Gvir

Jerusalem, 20 December, 2022 (TPS) -- Controversial legislation expanding the authority of the National Security Minister over the Israeli Police passed its first parliamentary hurdle on Tuesday afternoon with the bill passing its first reading by a vote of 63-53. The legislation is now returning to a Knesset committee ahead of two more Knesset votes which will be held on Monday.

The vote was delayed by a more than four-hour-long filibuster by opponents of the legislation. The Center-Left bloc ended its filibuster after the Right-wing bloc agreed to delay the final votes.

Benjamin Netanyahu has until Wednesday night to present his Cabinet and coalition agreements to the Knesset for approval.

The Knesset still needs to pass two more legislative bills as a precondition for Shas and the Religious Zionism parties to join the coalition.

Shas leader Aryeh Deri is expected to serve as both Minister of Health and Interior, and then rotate into the Minister of Finance. He resigned from the Knesset in January as a part of a plea agreement in which he admitted to tax offenses. He was given a suspended prison sentence, but current laws bar him from a cabinet position for seven years.

The Knesset also needs to pass legislation allowing Religious Zionism leader Betzalel Smotrich to effectively serve as an independent minister within the Defense Ministry to oversee construction in Judea and Samaria. The Defense Minister currently oversees construction in those areas.

The Law’s Impact on the Police

Yaakov Borovsky, an Israeli lawyer who served as a superintendent in the Israel Police and as a consultant in the state comptroller’s office discussed the significance of the “Ben-Gvir law” and what it means for the police force with the Tazpit Press Service.

“The amended bill is an attempt by each of the parties to improve their legal status or preserve their status. Ben-Gvir wants the budget to be under his control,” Borovsky said.

According to Borovsky, a Cabinet minister overseeing the police who says he will bring the budget, not let anyone touch it, set general policy but not interfere in investigations “will do good for the police.”

Borovsky said he does not share concerns that the legislation would enable Ben-Gvir to “politicize” the police force.

“If God forbid he does it, there are enough mechanisms to stop him. There is a section in the police order that says the commissioner is responsible for carrying out the order,” he said. “A minister can give an order to the commissioner and not to the police officers themselves. You cannot take the police officers and turn them into a private political agenda.”

He said the effects of the law will raise salaries and draw back people who left the police force for other jobs. “Those who left are the first to return. 2,000 police officers leaving a year is a disaster. Trained people don’t go because they don’t like it here, they go because of the money.”