Having trouble internalizing the upheaval? Alsheikh wrote to Netanyahu: "Impeach Ben Gvir""

March 8, 2023   

Five former police commissioners, three IPS commissioners, and 33 retired commissioners sent a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday (Tuesday) requesting that he dismiss National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir from his position. The letter was signed by former police commissioners Roni Alsheich - known for publicly opposing the prime minister - Shlomo Aharonishki, Assaf Hefetz, Rafi Peled, and Moshe Karadi. In addition to them, three retired Gonder rabbis who served as IPS commissioners - Yaakov Ganot, Benjamin Kaniak, and Aaron Franco - also signed. The signatories of the letter also plan to attend a demonstration on Kaplan Street in Tel Aviv next Saturday under the title: "Save the Police from Ben Gvir." The retired officials wrote in the letter: "In recent weeks, we have identified processes on the part of the Minister in charge of the Police, MK Itamar Ben Gvir, that are enough to deprive us of sleep. "The minister, who from the beginning did not have the experience required for such a complex position, is acting contrary to the powers granted to him by law, interfering in the decision-making process in operational events (which, among other things, cause the police to endanger public safety) and exploiting the events and the police for his political desires." According to them, "As those who have commanded dozens of events and are familiar with the sensitivity and responsibility required of a police commander in events of order, we were required to take an exceptional step in this appeal to you." In addition, they warned against the continued execution of orders to demolish buildings in Jerusalem during Ramadan. "During the month of Ramadan, the police have additional tasks that require a large number of personnel, "The deviation from the police's priority order for the minister's political needs could have an unnecessary security cost." The senior officials also wrote: "Anyone who has experienced commanding the events of the month of Ramadan as commander of the Jerusalem District and as commissioner knows that this is a step that is no less than throwing a lit match into a barrel of gunpowder, which could, at best, bring upon us the third intifada and, at worst, unnecessarily ignite an unnecessary fire among the Muslim world outside the country's borders.".