Turmoil at the top: Police Commissioner will not meet with Minister Ben Gvir until he signs appointments and approves the budget

Police Commissioner Danny Levy announced he will not meet with National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir until the minister signs off on appointments and approves the police budget. Levy sent a sharp letter to the minister, warning that budget delays harm national security and service to citizens. The conflict also spilled over into the police's Rosh Hashanah ceremony, from which the minister was absent.

Police Commissioner Danny Levy made clear he will not meet with National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir until the minister signs off on appointments and approves the police budget. The rising tension comes after Levy sent a sharp letter to the minister, in which he wrote that budget delays are leading to harm to the police's functioning, service to citizens, and state security. Levy noted that the police budget for 2026 includes 450 million shekels that were placed in the ministerial budget regulations of the minister's office on a temporary basis. The conflict also spilled over into the police's Rosh Hashanah ceremony, from which the minister was absent. Senior officers harshly criticized and said they were glad the minister did not come, and that he is harming the organization. In addition, the senior command staff held a placement discussion for about 12 officers at the rank of deputy commissioner, contrary to the minister's directive, who had requested to postpone approvals until after the elections. At this stage, the appointments remain delayed without the minister's signature.