Israeli Deputy Attorneys-General Warn Ben-Gvir Over Alleged Pattern of Blocking Police Promotions

Deputy Attorneys-General Gil Limon and Sharon Afek sent a formal letter to National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir on Wednesday warning that his pattern of blocking senior police appointments may constitute systematic misuse of his ministerial powers. The letter specifically addresses two cases: Superintendent Reut Rosenberg, whose promotion to chief superintendent and appointment as head of the torts section in the police legal advisory division was recommended in August 2025 but remained unapproved after nine months, and Chief Superintendent Itzik Alfasi, whose appointment as spokesman for the Investigations and Intelligence Division was rejected by Ben-Gvir in August 2025. The deputy attorneys-general stated there were no legal obstacles to completing these appointments and that Ben-Gvir was required to approve them unless he provided weighty reasons, which he had not done. They argued that these cases represent a pattern of systematic conduct rather than isolated incidents, particularly concerning sensitive police units dealing with law enforcement. The deputies warned that even when appointments are eventually completed through court intervention, the damage to police independence may already be done, as officers in sensitive positions are forced to initiate legal proceedings against the national security minister.