Ben Gvir and Police Commissioner Levy Reconcile at Western Wall Amid Budget Dispute
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Police Commissioner Danny Levy reconciled at the Western Wall, unfreezing 50 million shekels after weeks of budget and appointment tensions.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Police Commissioner Danny Levy embraced at the Western Wall in Jerusalem following weeks of tension over high-ranking appointments and the police budget. The reconciliation occurred during the traditional Priestly Blessing ceremony, which drew tens of thousands of worshippers to the holy site.
Budget Unfreezing and Appointments
Amid the apparent thaw, it was revealed that Minister Ben Gvir has unfrozen 50 million shekels of the police budget, which he had previously withheld over allegations of excessive spending. The budget standoff had previously led to the freezing of hundreds of millions of shekels earmarked for the police, drawing criticism that operational and infrastructural needs were being compromised.
"The freezing of hundreds of millions of shekels harms a long series of operational and infrastructural needs of the organization," police officials previously stated, noting that funds for elite units such as the Yamam counter-terrorism unit and Gideonim (Unit 33) were impacted.
Background of the Dispute
The friction between the minister and the police chief escalated earlier in the month when Ben Gvir halted all senior appointments, declaring he would not approve them ahead of the upcoming elections. Sources close to the minister linked the freeze to a proposed appointment for the position of deputy police legal advisor, which political figures claimed was influenced by Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara. Despite the ongoing disputes, Commissioner Levy announced last week that he had completed an additional round of senior officer assignments, which still awaits the minister's formal signature.
