Levin responds to C14 exposé: The prosecution is behaving like a third-world country

Justice Minister Yariv Levin harshly attacked the Attorney General and the State Prosecutor's Office for attempts to torpedo the establishment of the new Police Internal Investigations Department (MAHASH), calling their conduct a "third-world country." Levin accused them of pressuring candidates for the search committee out of a desire to maintain control over the police.

Justice Minister Yariv Levin responded to the C14 exposé that Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and the State Prosecutor's Office are working to torpedo the establishment of the new MAHASH. Levin called the conduct a "disgrace and a violation of the law" and a "third-world country." According to him, the attempts to deter candidates from applying to the search committee stem from the legal advisory system's desire to control the new body and maintain leverage over the police. He added that the next MAHASH head needs courage to act against the system, and that the pressures constitute a test for candidates. The minister claimed that the Police Internal Investigations Department has lost public trust and acts with discrimination. The law to establish an independent MAHASH was approved by the Knesset, but without a search committee it cannot be implemented. The Knesset legal adviser, Sagit Afik, recommended that the court not issue interim orders to freeze the process.