Jerusalem, 13 November, 2025 (TPS-IL) — A senior Israel Police officer was detained for questioning on Wednesday over alleged breach of trust and abuse of authority, the Justice Ministry said. The officer, who holds the rank of deputy commissioner and oversees several sensitive investigations, is suspected of interfering in a probe conducted by Lahav 433, the police’s major crimes unit, reportedly to benefit a businessman close to him.
The Police Internal Investigations Department (PID) and the State Attorney’s Office questioned the officer for more than seven hours before releasing him late Wednesday night under strict conditions. He is barred from entering police facilities for nine days and prohibited from contacting anyone connected to the case.
In a statement, PID said the officer “intervened in a matter in which he had a conflict of interest, failed to report it, and took various actions to influence the handling of the matter within his unit.” The probe remains in its early stages, and the specific case the officer allegedly sought to affect has not been made public.
A gag order issued by the Jerusalem District Court prevents the publication of the officer’s name and most details of the investigation. According to Hebrew media reports, Israel Police Chief Kobi Shabtai convened an urgent meeting with top command staff after the detention. The chief is expected to appoint Assistant Commissioner Eli Macmel, head of Lahav 433’s National Fraud Investigation Unit, as a temporary replacement if the deputy commissioner is suspended while the probe continues.
Sources familiar with the case said the officer was detained at his workplace over concerns he might interfere with the investigation. One source added that suspicions surfaced during a separate police inquiry and were passed to the Justice Ministry’s investigative unit.
The officer’s post is considered central and sensitive, overseeing national police units. Like other senior command staff, he was appointed in September 2024 by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir after serving in previous senior investigative roles.
“We are treating this matter with the utmost seriousness,” a police source told Hebrew media. “All appropriate measures are being taken to ensure the investigation proceeds without interference.”
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