National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has informed Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara that he cannot rely on her to represent him before the court in appeals against his appointment or policies.
In a letter to the attorney general, Ben-Gvir cited her decision to freeze the removal of Tel Aviv District Commander Amichai Eshed from his position as well as other decisions related to his ministry which she did not discuss with him at all.
"You wanted to put pressure on the commissioner, and worse, you sent your letter regarding Superintendent Eshed without talking to me or hearing my position as you should have done," Ben-Gvir wrote.
He continued: "Unfortunately, this is not the first time that you have made decisions about things related to me and my office without talking to me."
"Under these circumstances, I cannot trust you to faithfully represent me in the various petitions,” he stated, adding that he would seek to procure his own legal representation.
Earlier, Ben-Gvir stated that "the attorney general wants to be the National Security Minister and to run the government of Israel. Instead of understanding that her role is to advise, she wants to make the decisions and set the policy. Examine the legality of her conduct and of her decision, which was made without even talking to me."
"I chose the timing, I saw the behavior of Officer Eshed and there were multiple indicatiors that it wasn't good," he said. "I saw the images from Tel Aviv and Ben Gurion Airport. The Commissioner had told me for several months that Superintendent Amichai Eshed is not suitable for his position and should be transferred. Indeed, the decision on the timing of the publication is mine alone, but the decision to appoint him to the position of head of the training division was made on the recommendation of the Commissioner. The Commissioner of the Police, Kobi Shabtai, said, and he was correct, that the one who sets the policy is the Minister and the one whose job it is to carry out is the Israel Police and I hope it will be so," he concluded.
He further criticized the attorney general for her opposition to the bill of MK Tzvika Foghel (Otzma Yehudit) to grant security forces immunity from prosecution.
"As expected, the attorney general automatically opposes the immunity law for soldiers, and as usual with her - we only learned of her position from the media," he said.
"As a matter of fact, and contrary to what is implied in her opinion, the law does not protect war crimes and offenses committed intentionally," Ben-Gvir said, adding that the Otzma Yehudit party would not back down on passing the bill despite the attorney general's opposition, calling it " a moral duty to our soldiers, whom we send to the battlefield to fight for us and protect all of our lives."
