Bill Would Give Ben Gvir Enhanced Powers as National Security Minister

By Hamodia Staff

YERUSHALAYIM — Otzma Yehudit party chief Itamar Ben Gvir is poised to enter the new government not only with the new title of national security minister (replacing that of public security minister), but with enhanced powers, as well, as revealed in a bill submitted to the Knesset Secretariat on Thursday.

The bill states that the minister, rather than the police commissioner, will be the one to set policy for the Israel police. Under existing law, the commissioner decides policy, pending approval by the minister.

If implemented, the rule will be that the chief of police will “manage the police in accordance with the general policy and principles outlined by the minister.”

It also grants the minister broad discretionary powers in deciding how far to carry  investigation and enforcement.

However, the bill does restrict his power to open or close specific probes, such as investigations into politicians suspected of wrongdoing.

In response, outgoing Public Security Minister Omer Bar Lev warned again of the dire results that he expects from the appointment of Ben Gvir: “Israel Police will become a political and mediocre police that will be run by inexperienced and irresponsible hands; lose any vestige of public trust; and it will experience professional deterioration, [and] damage to its ability to fight crime and corruption.”