Daniel Levi, you need to apologize and atone - editorial

The new Israel Police Commissioner, Insp.-Gen. Daniel Levi made a homophobic slur in a recorded conversation in his office earlier this year, Channel 12 reported on Sunday.

Levi, who was serving as the Israel Police’s Coastal District commander at the time, was recorded telling his spokesman Aryeh Doron, “I can’t stand seeing two guys walking hand in hand on the street or two men kissing outside; it’s disgusting.” The television report sparked a public outcry, particularly from LGBTQ+ advocacy groups.

Levi, 60, joined the Israel Police in 1985 and held a series of senior positions, including commander of South Tel Aviv, deputy commander of the Jerusalem District, and commander of the Coastal District.

His appointment, put forward by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, was unanimously approved by the cabinet, and he was sworn in as commissioner on August 25.

“Under my command, the Israel Police will work to strengthen the governance and sovereignty in the state, will fight anyone who tries to hurt and disrupt the rule of law, and will make sure the law is enforced for every citizen equally while maintaining professionalism, determination, integrity, and public service,” Levi said at the ceremony.

For his part, Ben-Gvir praised Levi as someone who “comes with a Zionist and Jewish agenda and will lead the police according to the policy I have set for him.”

A day after Levi was sworn in, the Movement for Quality of Government petitioned the High Court of Justice against his appointment, claiming that selecting him had been flawed and that the new commissioner was willing to follow Ben-Gvir’s instructions blindly.

Ben-Gvir’s detractors have accused him of effectively taking over the police force, leading to conflicts and, ultimately, the ouster of Levi’s predecessor, Kobi Shabtai, in July.

Channel 12 reported that the subject of homosexuality came up when a visitor walked into Levi’s office. “What are these tight pants? Don’t tell me you’re part of the community now,” Levi said, according to a transcript provided by the TV network. When the visitor clarified that he was not gay, Levi responded, “Are you sure? Not that I care. I have nothing personal against them, but it disgusts me.”

When the visitor responded, “I don’t understand. What is disgusting?” spokesman Doron came to Levi’s defense, saying, “Those who do it in public.” In addition, a former officer in the Coastal District told Channel 12 that Doron would often use the phrase “you homo” in Hebrew as a derogatory slur when speaking to other police officers.

Israel Police defend Levi

In response to Channel 12's revelations, the Israel Police issued a statement defending Levi’s good relationship with the LGBTQ+ community. The statement stated that Levi had “maintained excellent working relations with LGBTQ+ leaders” and had worked to strengthen ties between the police and the community.

LGBTQ+ advocacy groups, however, were not satisfied by the statement. The Association for LGBTQ+ Equality in Israel (known as the Aguda) said: “The shocking remarks by the incoming commissioner have no place in the police force or any institution tasked with ensuring the safety of LGBTQ+ community members.

“We can only wonder whether LGBT+phobia was one of the criteria for choosing a new police chief. We invite the commissioner, if it does not disgust him too much, to sit with us and hear about the violence the members of the community experience because of the unprecedented incitement and hatred toward us in the last two years.”

There is no place for hate speech in Israel against anyone or any community, and what Levi needs to do now is apologize. How he does it is not important – it could be at a news conference, via a press release or a post on X. It’s the Jewish thing to do. Just as Jews are currently saying Selichot prayers for forgiveness ahead of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, this is also the time for us all to say we’re sorry to those we’ve hurt and offended.

In Judaism, the path to repentance is clear. Jews confess to their sins, ask for forgiveness, pray for atonement and correct their conduct. We highly recommend that the new police commissioner follow this path, apologize for his slur and set a good example for others, particularly at this early stage of his tenure.