Incoming national security minister MK Itamar Ben-Gvir's proposed bill which would give him unprecedented control over the Israel Police will split in two and only partially become law before the government is sworn in, Ben-Gvir announced on Thursday to the ad-hoc Knesset Committee that has been debating the bill for the past week and a half.
In the coming days, the committee will finalize and bring to the Knesset plenum for final ratification the law's provisions regarding the Israel Police's subordinance to the government, as well as the minister's ability to set policy and principles in general and specifically regarding investigations, Ben-Gvir said.
However, two other clauses – regarding the police commissioner's direct subordinance to the national security minister and the minister's power to intervene in policy regarding the extent of legal proceedings – will remain in the committee for further debate after the government is formed, and will be voted upon in the coming weeks, Ben-Gvir said.
The bill was initially being expedited through the committee in order to pass before the government is sworn in on January 2 at the latest. Out of the four laws that were being fast-tracked through the Knesset, Ben-Gvir's law had the most dramatic implications, as it seeks to redraw the balance of power between the government and the Israel Police commissioner, in favor of the former.
Most of the legal and law enforcement professionals who appeared before the committee agreed that the law as it currently stands is vague and complicates the situation rather than improving it.
Pushing through the law regardless
Ben-Gvir seemed poised until Wednesday to push through the law regardless, but on Thursday decided to change track, "due to the Knesset Legal Advisor's comments regarding the expedition of the law and in order for the High Court not to strike it down," the future minister said to the committee.
Although this does not mean the final wording will change, the soon-to-be opposition viewed it as a victory.
"We fought for hours and hours in the committee, along with all of the legal advisors: the government's, the Knesset's, the Public Security Ministry and the Israel Police," Yesh Aid said in a statement. "Lo and behold, today there came a glorious retreat. On the one hand, it is too bad he did not listen, as this would have saved the waste of hours, but on the other due to the work in the committee the bill was split," Yesh Atid said.
"We fought for hours and hours in the committee, along with all of the legal advisors: the government's, the Knesset's, the Public Security Ministry and the Israel Police."
Yesh Atid
Throughout the day on Thursday, the committee, which was led by Likud MK Ofir Katz, voted on hundreds of reservations that the incoming opposition put forward in order to delay its passing. It is unclear whether now that the bill has split the opposition will continue its delay tactics.
Two of the other laws were being debated together since both were amendments to the Basic Law: The Government - the “Deri Law,” which would enable Shas chairman MK Arye Deri to serve as a minister despite his conviction for tax offenses, and the “Smotrich Law,” to enable RZP chairman MK Bezalel Smotrich to serve as a second minister in the defense ministry with responsibility for civilian matters in the West Bank – passed their preparations in a temporary committee led by Likud MK Shlomo Karhi, and will reach the Knesset plenum for their final reading and votes next week.
The Labor Party said in a statement, "The fight against those who seek to destroy the rule of law is Sisyphean and ongoing, and today we achieved an important victory. After hard work in the committees and in the plenum and thanks to our appeal to the Knesset's legal advisers and their response - Ben-Gvir is currently backing down from some of his hasty demands that could turn the Israel Police into political police. He will, of course, try to do it again at a later date. Our excellent Members of Knesset will continue to be on guard. Kudos to the civil society organizations that stood together with us to protect and preserve democracy," the party said.