Attorney-General Moves to Freeze Police Investigation Department Appointments Before Election

Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara filed a petition with the High Court of Justice seeking an interim injunction that would stop two senior appointments to the newly restructured Police Investigation Department (PID) during the current election campaign. The appointments concern the director of the restructured PID and a senior official tasked with resolving disputes over investigations of police officers.

The Jerusalem Post

In June, the Knesset passed legislation removing the PID from the State Attorney’s Office and placing it under the Justice Ministry as an independent body. The law grants eight months to establish the new department, a deadline that can be extended to February 15, 2027. The director’s term would be six years; the coordinating official would serve three years.

The Jerusalem Post

• Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara argues that proceeding with the appointments during the campaign would politicize a sensitive law-enforcement entity, bind the incoming government, and create “facts on the ground” that are hard to reverse. She emphasizes that election-period restrictions apply regardless of whether the government retains a parliamentary majority and points to the Justice Ministry’s influence over the selection committee, including the role of Director-General Itamar Donenfeld, a political appointee who chairs the committee.

The Jerusalem Post

• Justice Minister Yariv Levin contends that the usual pre-election appointment freeze should not apply because the Knesset has completed its term and the government continues to enjoy confidence. He maintains that the appointments are professional, that the legislation’s implementation is not a political act, and that any future Knesset could amend or repeal the law. Levin also notes that the PID’s existing department operates under an experienced acting director, leaving no immediate leadership vacuum.

The Jerusalem Post

• October 27 – Scheduled election date; Levin urged that appointments proceed before this day.

The Jerusalem Post

• December 28 – Scheduled hearing before Supreme Court President Isaac Amit, Deputy President Noam Sohlberg, and Justice Dafna Barak-Erez to consider the petitions.

The Jerusalem Post

• February 15, 2027 – Legal deadline for establishing the new PID, with a possible four-month extension.

The Jerusalem Post

The court’s decision on the interim injunction will determine whether the appointments remain frozen until after the election. Regardless of the outcome, the December 28 hearing will address the broader question of whether the appointment process can continue during the campaign period, while the February 2027 deadline continues to frame the timeline for fully operationalizing the restructured PID.

The Jerusalem Post