By Staff, Agencies

A senior “Israeli” police officer holding the rank of deputy commissioner has been detained for questioning under caution by the Department for Internal Police Investigations [DIPI] on suspicion of breach of trust and abuse of authority, the “Israeli” Justice Ministry announced late Wednesday.

The officer, one of the highest-ranking figures in “Israel’s” law enforcement establishment, interfered in a major probe led by “Lahav” 433 — the so-called “‘Israeli’ FBI” — to benefit a businessman believed to be a personal associate. The case in question has not yet been made public and remains in its early stages, according to Hebrew media reports on Thursday morning.

Sources familiar with the matter told Ynet that the officer had a clear conflict of interest, which he failed to disclose, and took actions to manipulate the internal handling of the case. After more than seven hours of interrogation, he was released around midnight under restrictive conditions, including a nine-day ban from entering police facilities and a prohibition on contacting anyone involved in the investigation.

A gag order issued by the "Jerusalem" District Court currently forbids publication of the suspect’s name and key details about the case. Meanwhile, DIPI and “Israel Police” have reportedly formed a joint special team to oversee the inquiry. Senior officers — including Police Commissioner Danny Levy and several members of the suspect’s inner circle — were required to sign confidentiality agreements to prevent leaks.

In response to the detention, Levy convened an emergency meeting with top command staff and is considering appointing Assistant Commissioner Eli Macmel, head of "Lahav" 433’s "National" Fraud Investigation Unit, as temporary replacement should the deputy commissioner be suspended.

The revelations have caused shock and embarrassment within “Israel’s” police establishment. “We’re talking about one of the sharpest and most respected deputy commissioners in the organization,” a senior official told Maariv. “If the details are true, this is more than an earthquake. Until proven otherwise, we still believe in his integrity.”

“National Security” Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who oversees the police, rushed to defend the detained officer and publicly rejected the idea of appointing Macmel as acting deputy. Ben Gvir, who is already embroiled in multiple clashes with “Israel Police,” has faced criticism for politicizing the security apparatus, including accusations of interfering in promotions tied to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption cases.

The case unfolds as “Israel’s” law enforcement and justice institutions are already mired in internal turmoil. A separate legal battle continues over who should oversee the investigation into Military Advocate General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi’s alleged involvement in the Sde Teiman leak affair — a scandal that has inflamed tensions between so-called Justice Minister Yariv Levin and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara.

“Supreme Court” justices this week “implored” both parties to reach a compromise, but the standoff persists, exposing deepening fractures within the “Israeli” establishment. Together, these developments underscore growing dysfunction, corruption and politicization within “Israel’s” judicial and police systems — institutions once promoted as the pillars of the state’s democratic image.