Attorney-general: Police Chief Kobi Shabtai can't appoint new officers before retirement

Gali Beharev Miara, attorney-general of Israel, recently ordered Police Chief Kobi Shabtai to freeze his plans to appoint new key positions in the Israel Police. Shabtai planned to appoint these positions a few months before the end of his term. Despite this, preparations are being made for a round of mid-level appointments that are causing tensions in the police force.

Last Wednesday, police planned to appoint another wide-ranging round of senior positions. This decision came a day after the publication of the inquiry's conclusions into the Mount Meron disaster of 2021 and the explicit recommendation that the commissioner's position be terminated.

The appointments are set for the positions of deputy superintendents, and the candidates for positions of this rank, non-commissioned officers, were asked to submit nominations. This round of appointments, unlike its predecessors, does not require the approval of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. Therefore, the police intend to examine the applications for promotion in the coming days.

Last December, just before the extension of Shabtai's term of office for several additional months and in the shadow of the Swords of Iron war, the police force went through a similar round of new appointments.

Shabtai prohibited from making further decisions for police force

Regarding the dramatic consequences in the current round of appointments, lawyer Pinhas Fischler, co-chairman of the police committee at the Israel Bar Association, explains: "Superintendents are an intermediate level of the police force and the backbone of the Israel Police. Key positions are very important, the core of the organization's work, and these appointments must not be made nor can any officer be promoted until the appointment of the next commissioner. Shabtai must not touch this."

The Israel Police stated in response, "In complete contrast to what was claimed, the reference is to senior appointments only, the other rounds which are a necessary condition for the proper existence of the organization are taking place without delay."