Police Letter Supporting Inspector General Sparks Internal Dissent
A proposed letter of support for Israel's Inspector General has divided senior police commanders, with some officers criticizing the move as dragging top brass into political friction with Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.
A planned letter of support for the Inspector General of Police has sparked internal dissent among senior police commanders, amid an ongoing legal petition filed against him by Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir.
According to testimonies from several senior officers, Police Spokesperson Aryeh Doron initiated the move to draft the backing statement. However, sources revealed that Northern District Commander, Deputy Commissioner Meir Eliyahu, who is close to the Inspector General, personally lobbied fellow commanders to secure their signatures on the document.
"It was emphasized that we must present a united front so the media does not report otherwise," one of the commanders recounted. The initiative, nevertheless, has caused considerable unease among other top officials who view it as an attempt to entangle the high command in the mounting friction between the police leadership and the political echelon.
Voicing skepticism, another senior officer noted that while organizers claimed the letter was solely in support of the Inspector General rather than against the minister, internal divisions persist regarding operational approaches, particularly concerning policing methods at different types of public demonstrations.
