Yaakov Ganot
צילום: זום 77
Wrong man for the job
New police chief's 'efficiency' includes human rights violations, police violence
The criticism voiced in recent days over the expected appointment of Yaakov Ganot to the post of police chief mostly refers to an old bribery affair. Ganot was acquitted, but the judges ruled his conduct was ethically flawed. On the other hand, those who praised Ganot argued that he should be credited with the work he performed in the 13 years that have passed since that ruling.
However, even without the bribery affair, Ganot is unfit to lead the police – because of his professional conduct in recent years. Ganot was the one who established the immigration police, which worked to locate and expel people who sought to make a living in Israel. This police force led to the expulsion of many foreigners through what was characterized by Ganot supporters, including Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter, as highly efficient work.
Now would be a good time to mention that in some cases, this efficiency came in the form of storming homes, breaking doors, apprehending people in the middle of the night, and giving them 10 minutes to pack their belongings. In other cases, this efficiency was manifested through severe blows and violent shoves into a police cruiser.
On several occasions, mothers were separated from their young children. Police officers chased those people to the point of foreigners preferring to jump off roofs to avoid apprehension.
Never before has Israel seen such institutionalized, organized activity that undermined basic human rights to such extreme extent. Yaakov Ganot, who established the immigration police, did not see any problem in the activity performed by his police officers. On the contrary: He justified them time and again while showing contempt to severe complaints filed against some officers and using the argument of "growing pains" or "reasonable difficulties" in qualifying new police officers. Those are the "efficient ways" that led to Ganot's designation as the new police chief.
Systematic violation of human rights does not qualify a person to become the chief of police, regardless of how badly we wish to address the violence running rampant in our streets. The fact that Ganot justified, even if implicitly, violent behavior against people whose only crime was an attempt to make a living does not guarantee a firm hand against criminals: It only guarantees a commander whose decision-making process is fundamentally flawed.
Contempt to human rights, police violence, and a history of corruption – this is certainly not the man who will salvage the Israel Police or regain its lost honor.
The writer is an attorney who specializes in human rights
