The flurry of information on investigations of senior police and Israel Prison Service (IPS) officers who are closely associated with National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir (Otzma Yehudit) is still unfolding, but the stench of rot is already wafting in the air, and is a reminder of the chasm that lies between the promise and integrity of public service, and what’s really going on.
So far, three senior officers have been hauled in for questioning, including IPS Chief Commissioner Kobi Yaakobi, late on Monday. Considered close to the minister, the Police Investigative Department (PID), which has been leading the probe, questioned him for hours.
According to reports, he was investigated over breach of trust, obstruction of investigation, and potentially trying to influence police appointments. He was released under restrictive conditions. Allegedly, he tried to influence the upcoming appointment of a police officer, a commander who was also detained as part of the investigation.
The second is Police Commander Avishai Moalem, who is in charge of the West Bank District. The suspicion is that Yaakobi was involved in Moalem’s appointment. Moalem is also considered close to Ben-Gvir and is suspected of bribery, breach of trust, and misuse of police resources.
The third is a police superintendent in the Judea and Samaria District who is suspected of bribery and breach of trust. On Tuesday, two more police officers were questioned, and others were called to give open testimony.
Since assuming his position as national security minister, Ben-Gvir has appointed many officers who now form the police’s command structure. Others who were not promoted have resigned, openly criticizing the minister for allegedly filling the leadership ranks with those loyal to him.
So far, a senior police officer close to Commissioner Daniel Levi and a senior commander – who works closely with Ben-Gvir – provided open testimonies. More are expected to follow.
The heart of the investigation
At the heart of the investigation is Moalem and the alleged bribery in exchange for a promotion. It also comes at a time when nationalistically-motivated crimes in Judea and Samaria, or the West Bank, have increased and have been on the rise since Ben-Gvir took up his position.
This paints a vivid picture of corruption in one of Israel’s most important ministries and public authority bodies. At best, it is concerning, and at worst, it is a symptom of the continuous erosion of the integrity of public service.
Were the police and prison systems perfect before? No. But since Ben-Gvir became minister, relentless developments have affected everyone.
The people in charge should work to improve the prison system and police force, and that should be their only goal. Anything else is a peripheral issue, distracting from the goal that is the foundation for these figures being in these positions in the first place. Anything less than that is a betrayal of public trust.
And let’s not forget who Ben-Gvir is; not the extremist positions or incendiary statements, but what he’s done since becoming national security minister. Crime in the Arab sector, one of the harshest and most complicated issues to deal with, has soared.
Public spats led to the premature ousting of former police chief Kobi Shabtai in May, and the swapping of Tel Aviv District police commanders because, reportedly, Ben-Gvir felt the hostage protests weren’t being handled with enough force. What some of the families have experienced while protesting on the streets since then has been, indeed, much more forceful.
There is work that needs to be done in these organizations. The IPS had struggled for a while to bounce back after the Gilboa Prison escape and the discovery of the Pimping Affair, while the police were understaffed and weary, they continue to be so.
These problems, that reflect weak authority and distortion of purpose, take precedence over everything and are what Ben-Gvir was appointed to do and what police and IPS officers are committed to do. It is time to do it, and it’s about two years too late.
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