The rift between Israel’s police leadership and the government deepened Wednesday when Police Commissioner Danny Levi launched a frontal attack on National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s policies. In a meeting with senior officers, including Judea and Samaria District Commander Moshe Pintzy, Levi voiced sharp opposition to transferring enforcement powers from the IDF to police in Judea and Samaria—a move Ben-Gvir recently blessed and called an achievement.
Levi told his commanders that police are repeatedly forced to take responsibility for failures and incidents that fall under the army’s direct authority. He then ordered field commanders not to hold any discussions or coordination with military officials on the transfer of powers. The decision is seen as a direct confrontational step against Ben-Gvir, who has made expanding police control in Judea and Samaria a strategic goal.
Beyond the professional dispute, Levi sparked controversy by wading into political and diplomatic territory. In his remarks to officers, the commissioner claimed that “a handful of extremists” are causing severe damage to Israel’s image worldwide. The statement is unusual for someone heading the organization, as it touches on foreign policy issues and direct criticism of right-wing activists in the territory—subjects at the heart of political controversy.
Pushback against Levi’s attack came quickly, and from within the police force itself. Sources in the organization slammed the commissioner harshly: “He keeps injecting politics into police work. It’s very strange that a commissioner chooses to speak on diplomatic issues outside his authority. At the end of the day, the decision on transferring powers isn’t in his hands—it’s at the political level.” The clash between the commissioner and the minister has now become an open war that could affect police operations in the most sensitive friction points.