In a significant development, a group of six ex-police chiefs and more than 40 deputy police commissioners have jointly urged the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to oust Itamar Ben Gvir, a far-right legislator, from his position as the national security minister.
The group appeal emphasizes that Ben Gvir’s presence in this role poses an alarming and pressing threat to the security of “Israel.”
According to a report on Friday by Ynet news site, a group comprising six former police chiefs and 42 deputy commissioners has written a letter to Netanyahu, who leads the right-wing and far-right coalition that includes Itamar Ben Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit party as a crucial partner.
The letter serves as a cautionary message, highlighting the imminent risk of the Israeli Police facing a severe breakdown.
The group explicitly identifies Ben Gvir as a significant contributor to the issues that currently afflict the Israeli police.
The letter penned by the signatories conveyed their request for a meeting with Netanyahu, urging him to exclude the presence of Ben Gvir.
The purpose of this proposed meeting is to provide an opportunity for the signatories to present proposals aimed at bolstering the Israeli police and to delve deeper into the underlying factors that have contributed to the current situation.
Since the inauguration of Netanyahu’s new coalition, Itamar Ben Gvir has engaged in public and ongoing disputes with Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai, who has held the position since 2020. These clashes between the two individuals have persisted over the course of six months.
According to a recent report by Israeli newspaper Haaretz, Bentzi Gopstein, a Jewish extremist whose candidacy for the Knesset has been banned by the Supreme Court due to his racist beliefs, has been providing counsel to Ben Gvir on police-related issues. The report further reveals Gopstein’s involvement in several decisions pertaining to the higher ranks of the police force and operational matters.
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