National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir could fire Kobi Shabtai from his position as Israel Police chief if he doesn't "toe the line," Otzma Yehudit MK Zvika Fogel admitted during a Friday morning interview given to KAN Reshet B.
"If [Shabtai] is not prepared to accept the new style, there might be no choice [but to fire him]," Fogel claimed, further arguing that the Israel Police commissioner "must act according to the policies laid out by the elected official."
Ben-Gvir and Shabtai reportedly clashed earlier this week after Ben-Gvir demanded that police step up the pace of home demolitions in east Jerusalem.
In the interview with KAN Reshset B, Fogel stressed that National Security Ministry officials do not wish to see the back of Shabtai, but they will "straighten him out" if needed.
"If he needs to be straightened to [toe the line], we will do that," Fogel said. "Seems perfectly fine to me."
Tensions between Ben-Gvir and Police chief Shabtai
Tensions between the two were made even more apparent when they were caught publicly arguing in the aftermath of a terrorist ramming attack near the Ramot neighborhood of Jerusalem, in which two children and a young man were killed.
Immediately following the attack, the national security minister announced his intention to implement a full lockdown on the Isawiya neighborhood, before admitting he was unable to due to legal questions surrounding such a decision. Later, Ben-Gvir instructed Shabtai and police to prepare for an impromptu "Operation Defensive Shield 2" in east Jerusalem
Shabtai, whose handling of the anti-judicial reform protest movement was also criticized by Ben-Gvir, reaffirmed that protest was a democratic right that needed to be approached with fairness and restraint while also taking public safety into account. “I fully support the decision-making of the commanders in the field, as long as they act in accordance with Israel Police procedures and according to the law,” he said in an open letter to police officers on Tuesday.
Fogel also hit out at the Israeli security cabinet, stating that "officials in the security cabinet are too similar to the former government" led by opposition head MK Yair Lapid. "There is no difference between the former prime and defense ministers and the incumbents."