Bar-Lev takes vacation, steps out of police chief race

A-G cancels freeze on appointment of next police chief, notifies public security minister he is now free to appoint new inspector general.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN
Bar-Lev 224.88 (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
Bar-Lev 224.88
(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
Police Cmdr. Uri Bar-Lev, who is battling to clear his name after being accused of sexual offenses against two women, took leave on Sunday from his post as police attache in the US and removed himself from the race to be named the next police inspector-general.
Bar-Lev, who anticipated that he would suspended from the force by Police Insp.-Gen. David Cohen, notified Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch of his decisions.
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As a result, Attorney-General Yehuda Weinstein notified Aharonovitch that a freeze previously imposed on the process of appointing Cohen’s successor is no longer in effect, and that the minister was now free to appoint a new police chief.
A statement released by Bar-Lev’s attorney, Irit Baumhorn, said Bar-Lev had “arrived in Israel a week ago to present his version regarding what had been published, which turned into complaints to the Police Investigations Department...
it is superfluous to note that the current situation is intolerable to Bar-Lev and his family, and is causing mortal harm to organization that he treasures most, the Israel Police.”
The statement continued, “therefore, to focus on the struggle forced on him and to clear his good name, Bar- Lev decided to take a leave.
Bar-Lev would also like to announce that he is renouncing his bid for the post of next police chief, to allow for a swift appointment of a suitable police chief, who will heal the rifts created among police brass following this race.”
Bar-Lev has denied sexually harassing Dr. Orly Innes, a Public Security Ministry adviser, two years ago, and has said that a sexual encounter with “Mem,” a woman from the North who accused Bar-Lev of rape, had been consensual.