Netanyahu Launches Legislative Blitz to Expand Ben-Gvir’s Police Powers, Appoint Convicted Ally - Israel News - Haaretz.com
Israel's incoming government wasted no time with their legislative agenda, passing preliminary readings of four key bills on Tuesday that grant significant powers to Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right allies.
The first proposal amended one of Israel’s semi-constitutional basic laws to allow Shas head Arye Dery to be appointed as minister despite being sentenced to a suspended prison term. It was swiftly followed by bills subordinating the police chief to the far-right National Security Minister-designate Itamar Ben-Gvir and another granting Religious Zionism leader Bezalel Smotrich control of the Civil Administration, a key authority in the West Bank.
In a legislative blitz following the election of a new Knesset speaker, the amendment to the Basic Law exempted suspended sentences, such as for Dery, who signed a plea deal for tax offenses in January 2022. It was supported by 62 MKs and opposed by 53.
Justice Minister Gideon Sa'ar told the assembly before the vote that the law is "clearly a personal legislation, [which] looks less like a constitutional change and much more like a robbery in broad daylight." He also warned that such legislation "will be the springboard for additional personal laws in the future."
At the end of the vote, and before the announcement of the bill's approval, newly elected Knesset Speaker Yariv Levin read a statement on Dery's behalf, in which it was stated that the Shas chairman "wishes to make a proper disclosure, that in certain circumstances the bill may have an effect on him."
The third bill added an extra minister to the defense portfolio, granting Religious Zionism leader Bezalel Smotrich control of the Civil Administration, which is in charge of the West Bank's infrastructure, construction, and security coordination.
The amendment to the Police Order, filed by Otzma Yehudit, states that the minister in charge of the police will shape the organization’s policies and be in charge of its budget, which would be set separately from the state budget. The proposed amendment further states that the police commissioner will report directly to the government and the appointed minister, save in cases pertaining to the power of police personnel to open and close cases and run investigations.
In his speech to the assembly, Yesh Atid lawmaker Yoav Segalovitz addressed MK Ben-Gvir directly: "In normal circumstances, if there was a contest for the person least suitable to be public security minister, you would undoubtedly take first place, by far.
"You would have never been appointed [public security minister] if we didn't have such a weak prime minister [Netanyahu] who was afraid of being photographed with you until a month ago, and now would likely hang a picture of you in his office just as you had a picture of Baruch Goldstein," he added, referencing Ben-Gvir having a photo of Jewish terrorist Baruch Goldstein hanging in his home for years.
"I conducted a lot of research into criminal organizations, nationalist crime. When I did these things you were convicted more or less of inciting racism, possession of propaganda material for a terrorist organization, support for a terrorist organization and interference with police officers in the performance of their duties," Segalovitz added.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Knesset Arrangements Committee voted to exempt four bills from presentation requirements, allowing them to be brought for a preliminary vote in the assembly.
- Fears grow over far-right Ben-Gvir's control over Israel Police force
- Netanyahu agrees to give Shas chairman control of transportation and infrastructure
- Don’t give Smotrich the Civil Administration
The last bill that the incoming coalition passed is a law increasing the number of Knesset members needed to break away from a list in Knesset, from the current four to seven.
Earlier in the day, the Knesset elected Likud lawmaker Yariv Levin as a temporary speaker in a crucial first step in furthering the incoming government's legislative agenda, even before final agreement is reached among the parties that are due to join Netanyahu's coalition.