The Cabinet has appointed Rafi Peled to be Israel’s new chief of police in the midst of growing tension between the current chief, Ya’acov Terner, and Police Minister Moshe Shahal.
Peled, 48, was only recently appointed as commander of the Jerusalem district of the Israeli police.
Despite Terner’s request to be dismissed immediately, the Cabinet named Peled to take over the top police position only when Terner’s term ends next fall. As it stands, Terner’s term had already been shortened by a half year from the original appointment.
Terner said he was considering leaving at once, despite the Cabinet’s request that he stay at the post until Rosh Hashanah.
Relations between Shahal and Terner had never been very good, but they deteriorated considerably after Labor Party Secretary-General Nissim Zvilli reportedly suggested to Terner that he run as Labor’s candidate for mayor of either Tel Aviv or Beersheba.
Shahal was infuriated that Terner was involved in political discussions while still in uniform. He consequently asked Terner to quit by next Rosh Hashanah.
Terner believed that his heir should have been announced closer to the time of his retirement. However, Shahal surprised him by asking the Cabinet to make the appointment as early as Sunday.
Terner reportedly felt that he could not carry out his job properly with his successor breathing down his back.
But the Cabinet wanted to avoid a situation in which the police would have no formal chief for more than six months.
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