Netanyahu Convenes Police Chief for Election Integrity Discussion
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a meeting on election integrity with Police Commissioner Danny Levi and Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. Meanwhile, a petition was filed against plans to deploy armed observers at polling stations.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu summoned Police Commissioner Rav-Nissav Danny Levi for a high-level discussion on election integrity, scheduled for Sunday. The meeting will also be attended by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.
Despite the cross-party nature of election oversight, opposition figures and representatives from the Central Elections Committee were not invited to the session. The Prime Minister's Office defended the meeting, stating it is a standard procedure held ahead of every election cycle. Commissioner Levi previously declined a similar meeting requested by Minister Ben Gvir in his office, but is expected to attend the session called by Netanyahu.
Earlier, Commissioner Levi held a dedicated preparation meeting with the acting director-general of the Central Elections Committee, attorney Din Livne. That session included senior police command staff alongside representatives from the IDF and Shin Bet, focusing on election day security, public order enforcement, and ensuring a fair and secure voting process.
"The Israel Police is a professional and non-political force, and it will remain so," Levi stated during the previous briefing. "I have explicitly instructed that no police officer may express political views while in service. We are prepared for any scenario to safeguard election integrity across all operational aspects, and we will act with professionalism and state responsibility."
Meanwhile, the Joint List and the Adalah legal center petitioned the High Court of Justice last week, demanding a ban on armed observers and officials inside polling stations. The legal challenge follows announcements by Likud and Religious Zionism regarding plans to deploy approximately 2,000 observers to polling stations in Arab localities. The petitioners argue that armed presence amid tense political conditions could intimidate voters, compromise the electoral process, and risk violent confrontations.
