AG: New appointments are politicizing police internal affairs, could harm election integrity

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara accused the Justice Ministry of politicizing the process of selecting leaders for the Department of Internal Police Investigations (DIPI), raising concerns about the integrity of upcoming elections. In a recent Supreme Court filing, she stated that Justice Ministry Director-General Itamar Donenfeld improperly influenced the appointment of a key figure to the committee responsible for choosing the leadership of the DIPI, thereby undermining the independence of the investigative body. The DIPI, under the jurisdiction of the Justice Ministry, is tasked with investigating police conduct. Baharav-Miara urged the court to suspend further appointments to the committee and to the top positions within the DIPI, warning that an overly politicized institution could instill fear among officers, investigators, prosecutors, and journalists. This, she argued, could impair the ability of law enforcement to uphold electoral integrity during the October 27 election. The controversy stems from a legislative amendment passed by the Knesset in June, which transferred the DIPI from the State Attorney’s Office to the direct oversight of the justice minister. Proponents of the change argued that prosecutors had shown bias toward certain political figures linked to the right-wing bloc, thus necessitating a more independent body. However, critics, including Baharav-Miara and other senior legal officials, contend that the amendment compromises the DIPI’s autonomy and risks politicizing its operations. The amendment grants a five-member committee the authority to appoint the two highest-ranking officers of the newly restructured DIPI. According to the law, the composition of this committee includes the Justice Ministry director-general, the civil service commissioner, a criminal defense attorney selected by the justice minister, a professional with experience in interrogation or prosecution chosen by the director-general, and a retired judge nominated by the chair of the Knesset State Control Committee, typically held by an opposition member. Despite these provisions, Baharav-Miara revealed that Justice Minister Yariv Levin has already selected a lawyer to serve on the committee, while the retired judge position remains unfilled. She also disclosed that Levin sought and obtained permission to be represented by external legal counsel in hearings related to the amendment, a move that suggests an attempt to exert greater influence over judicial processes. Baharav-Miara alleged that Donenfeld, a political appointee of Levin, exerted undue influence over the selection of a candidate for the committee, despite being required to consult with Civil Service Commissioner Doron Cohen. On June 17, Donenfeld submitted a single candidate’s name for Cohen’s approval, which was accepted after a June 21 meeting. The candidate’s identity was redacted in court documents, but a letter from Donenfeld to Cohen indicated that the Attorney General’s Office found no legal barriers to the appointment. According to Baharav-Miara, the outcome of this selection, combined with Levin’s choice of a lawyer and Donenfeld’s role, resulted in three of the five committee members representing the minister or having been significantly influenced by him. This, she argued, exemplifies the political interference in the establishment of the committee and the broader trend of politicizing law enforcement structures. The amendment also sets a quorum of three members for the committee to make personnel decisions within the DIPI. Baharav-Miara emphasized that these developments highlight the growing concern over the erosion of institutional independence and the increasing role of politics in shaping law enforcement mechanisms.