Outgoing Minister of Public Security (Yisrael Beitenu) Yitzchak Aharonovich blames Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein of harming the department by not permitting the cabinet to move forward to appoint a new police chief until following elections.

Weinstein issued an order that the appointment must wait until after voters have had their say in the 20th Knesset elections.

The minister’s letter was a part of the state’s response to the Supreme Court, which is hearing a petition filed by the Movement for Governability & Democracy. In his letter, Aharonovich, who is a former Israel Police Chief, explains he knows and understands the department from decades of being a part of it and the nine month delay is distracting the department and its most senior command. He warns the prolonged delay is detrimental to the department. Aharonovich warns the most senior commanders are too busy jockeying for position due to the delay instead of carrying out their jobs as they should

Aharonovich explains the reality is that until elections and the formation of a coalition and cabinet, the appointment of a new chief is on hold until August 2015 or later since after the process mentioned, the new minister will have to familiarize himself with the process and the candidates. He laments the fact that the appointment will have dragged out a year, and this is extremely harmful to the department.

Seemingly wishing to place pressure on Weinstein, Aharonovich adds “I do not plan to extend the tenure of Police Chief Danino or the Israel Prison Authority Chief since the matter is not the result of professional considerations”. He warns that the lapse in leadership is likely to cause additional harm to the department.

The petition to the High Court is directed against Weinstein, seeking to compel the court to permit Aharonovich to appointment a new chief to permit the department to continue operating as it should.

Attorney Simcha Rothman explains that the attorney general’s behavior results in a harsh blow to democracy and law and order.

At the end of his letter, Aharonovich writes the process of replacing outgoing Police Chief Yochanan Danino begin months before the announced elections. The candidates were probed and Weinstein is aware of this since he too was consulted.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)