Cabinet rebukes police commissioner

The government decided Sunday to officially reprimand Police Commissioner Dudi Cohen, following a weekend interview he gave Haaretz daily newspaper, in which he criticized several high-ranking ministers.

Cohen's interview was panned by the cabinet, with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert calling it "an embarrassment and Minister Ami Ayalon (Labor) to suggesting the government admonish the officer. An official reprimand of such a high ranking security official is considered an extremely rare move.

Cohen was quoted as saying, among other things, that the justice minister "cannot lash out the Police Department… for him to publicly say such grave things, is outright irresponsible. He weakened the police force and he undermined the department's professionalism and values.

"(Such statements) are indicative of professional, national and even personal carelessness," Cohen told the paper.

Speaking about the investigations against the prime minister, Cohen said that "there was this feeling of 'how could such a thing happen.' Most disturbing was the brazen audacity of the acts. It took everyone be surprise."

Addressing Vice Premier Haim Ramon's criticism of police conduct in the case against him, Cohen was quoted as saying that "Ramon is a convicted felon. He never appealed his conviction. Instead he chose to return to the government and lead a public campaign from within office to restrict the department's moves. Saying the police used illegitimate measures (in his case) is a blatant attempt to discredit us."

Ramon himself slammed the article, and playing off one of Cohen's statement, called the government's past decision to appoint him commissioner "delusional": "If, as (Cohen) says, he doesn’t want to serve under such a delusional government, he can turn in his badge and resign. I guess the government was delusional when it chose him for the job."

The interview caused a stir at Kadima's weekly faction meeting as well, which took place shortly before the cabinet's one, as the interview was deemed "scandalous" by Interior Minister Meir Sheetrit; and Minister Ayalon noted that "Cohen should be fired."

Apology accepted?

Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann, who was in the center of much of Cohen's criticism, demanded the government "remind the commissioner who he works for. The police commissioner took it upon himself to inform the government that its decisions are delusional – he places himself above the government?

"The only thing I can say is that the man obviously has a very high opinion of himself," concluded Friedmann. "We cannot allow for such a thing to go unscathed. The least we must do is demand an apology." 

Following the cabinet decision, Cohen apologized for his controversial statements, claiming they "were not meant to criticize the government or its ministers in any way."

In a statement published following the government meeting on the case, the police commissioner apologized for "the possibility that any of the government's members, including its leader, were offended.

"The remarks, as quoted by the media, were not meant, under any circumstances, to criticize the government or any of its ministers, but included a reference to statements and publications which badly harmed the organization.

"Such damage may have implications on the police's ability to run investigations, fearlessly and impartially. This situation forced the police commissioner, as the person heading the organization, to come to the police's defense and back the officers."