‘Israel’ Police Chief: ’Every Time Ben-Gvir Went Head to Head with Me, He Lost’

Ahead of his imminent retirement, Shabtai recalled the fierce debates with previous ministers in charge, Amir Ohana [Likud] and Omer Bar-Lev [Labor] who knew “the limit” of their political lead. Ben-Gvir, on the other hand, was another story.

"They are two very different people, but they both knew the limit,” Shabtai told Ynet, referring to Ohana who made the original appointment and Ber-Lev who came with the next government coalition.

"Every time Ben-Gvir went head to head with me, he lost," the commissioner explained, adding "I was one of the gatekeepers. I stopped political attempts to take over the police.”

“I discovered that the minister [Ben-Gvir] is not satisfied with just listening and asking, but gives the officers 'suggestions' on how to act,” Shabtai went on to say.

The police commissioner faced many challenges stemming from massive weekly protests, uninterrupted for about 38 weeks, over the right-wing coalition’s ‘judicial’ reform. Shabtai was criticized from both the right-wing, including Ben-Gvir, as well as the left and the many demonstrators.