Search for police chief resumes amid criticism of vetting process

Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan announced Wednesday that he will not pursue the nomination of Brig. Gen. (res.) Gal Hirsch as Israel's new police commissioner. Hirsch, a former deputy commander of the military's Depth Corps, has been notified of the decision.

Erdan briefed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on his decision, informing him that the search for a new police chief will resume immediately. Netanyahu noted that the nature of the public vetting process has become too lengthy and rigid, and that it is time to subject the procedure to review.

Hirsch's nomination met scathing criticism from top Israel Police officials, who said that Hirsch was professionally ill-suited for the role, and from bereaved parents, who claimed Hirsch's operational failures during the 2006 Second Lebanon War cost the lives of their sons and threatened a High Court of Justice petition against the nomination.

While Hirsch's candidacy was subject to Public Service Nominations Committee vetting, the controversy prompted Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein to review whether the nomination would withstand High Court scrutiny.

Weinstein informed Erdan that the review would be lengthy, and given that the police force has been without a chief commissioner for over three months Erdan decided to withdraw Hirsch's nomination.

Tel Aviv District Police Commander Maj. Gen. Benzi Sau has been acting police chief since former Police Commissioner Yohanan Danino's term ended in June, but sources privy to the process said Erdan was still adamant to name an external candidate as Israel's new police chief.

"One month ago, I announced that Gal Hirsch was slated to become the new Israel Police commissioner. Gal is an honest, qualified and worthy man, a defense official through and through," Erdan said in a statement released Wednesday night.

"Since the announcement, Gal has been the subject of a smear campaign, nothing short of character assassination. Gal's vetting process has been lengthy, and its end is nowhere in sight. I would like to make it absolutely clear to the public ... that Gal Hirsch is not suspected of any wrongdoing, nor has any complaint been made against him. His record is clean.

"Unfortunately, the vetting process that [civil service] candidates are subjected to in the State of Israel is not limited in time, and over the past few days I have learned that Gal's vetting will take a few more weeks, at least. Under these circumstances, and out of a sense of responsibility for the Israel Police, I had to regrettably inform Gal that I would have to endorse another candidate, despite believing he is the best man for the job."

Erdan expressed his regrets over what Hirsch and his family had gone through over the past few weeks, saying, "I salute Gal for being brave enough to leave the convenience of civilian life and assume this mission. I believe we have to scrutinize ourselves now, to find out how it is possible that an ethical, worthy man could not be named for the position in which the government wanted him to serve."

"Minister Erdan informed me last month that I was to become police commissioner. I saw this is a great privilege and as an opportunity to effect change and serve the public," Hirsch told reporters outside his home on Thursday morning.

"Last night I learned that the situation, as Erdan and Netanyahu see it, has changed, and that the lengthy vetting process has no end in sight. Under these circumstances, it was clear to me that they would be unable to pursue my nomination further, and that I must withdraw in favor of another candidate. I would like to thank Netanyahu and Erdan.

"I did not seek the police chief nomination. I'm a soldier in the service of the Israeli public, and I was asked to serve, only to face a systematic smear campaign. Over the past 30 days, I have learned a valuable lesson, and I find that I am deeply concerned about the ill will prevalent among us. It raises serious questions about the state of the national backbone, governability, the state of democracy, the rule of law, values and lack thereof, and the interest groups, not elected by anyone, that run our lives."

Hirsch addressed the difficulties he and his family have undergone.

"I'm a soldier, but I'm also a family man, and I would like to thank my family for weathering this storm with me. I plan to continue to do as much as I can to develop young leadership in this country. I had really hoped to serve you as police commissioner. I'll find another way to do so," he said.

In a statement issued on Wednesday night, Netanyahu expressed his regrets over Hirsch's nixed nomination, criticizing the cumbersome vetting process and the slander leveled at Hirsch.

"A month ago, Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan named Brig. Gen. (res.) Gal Hirsch as the new police chief. I had supported the nomination of an individual who can be credited for his efforts on behalf of Israel's security," Netanyahu said.

"I said then that Gal Hirsch was the right man for the position of police commissioner, and I still believe it is so. But our vetting process is rigid, lengthy and abusive, and there is no doubt it is time to review its procedures."

He criticized the smear campaign against Hirsch, saying, "For a month now, Gal Hirsch's reputation has been dragged through the mud, and for what? For agreeing to leave behind successful ventures and assume a challenging national mission? He agreed without hesitation, and look what it got him: defamation and slander. This is not how a man who sacrificed the best years of his life, his energy and talents for the State of Israel should be treated.

"The fact that the customary vetting process cannot be subjected to a set time frame has left the public security minister no choice but to inform Brig. Gen. Hirsch -- still determined to serve despite the great distress he and his family have endured -- that he had no choice but to ask him to withdraw his candidacy. I have no doubt that we will hear about Hirsch in the future. I would very much like the public to benefit from his talents, abilities and experience."

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