In a dramatic late-night vote, the Knesset approved legislation that will fundamentally restructure Israel’s police oversight system by transferring the Police Internal Investigations Department (Machash) into the Justice Ministry as an independent body. The bill passed its second and third readings by a vote of 43-39.

The legislation represents a sweeping reform of Machash, the agency responsible for investigating criminal allegations against police officers, significantly altering its authority and institutional status.

Under the newly approved law, Machash will operate as an independent entity within the Justice Ministry with its own separate budget. The department will retain authority to investigate and prosecute police officers for criminal offenses, including relatively minor violations. The legislation also establishes a new process for appointing the department’s director through a dedicated search committee.

The reform further creates the position of Commissioner for Coordination of Police Investigations, who will be empowered to resolve disputes between Machash and other investigative or prosecutorial bodies and, when appropriate, order the transfer of cases between agencies.

Separation from the State Attorney’s Office and Attorney General

One of the most significant provisions of the law removes Machash from direct oversight by the Attorney General and State Attorney’s Office in criminal matters. Authorities currently exercised by those offices in cases handled by Machash will now be transferred to the department’s director. Appeals of decisions to close cases will be submitted to the newly created coordination commissioner.

At the same time, Machash will continue to be subject to the general policy directives of the Attorney General and State Attorney, except in situations where those directives would grant authority to an outside body. The legislation also includes provisions aimed at fully civilianizing the department and addresses access by Machash personnel to police information systems.

Saada: “A Day of Good News for the People of Israel”

MK Moshe Saada, who sponsored the legislation, celebrated its passage and described it as a landmark reform.

“Today we are carrying out a reform. This is a day of good news for the entire people of Israel, as we correct the law enforcement system. There will no longer be criminals serving within the legal system, there will no longer be people above the law. In the State of Israel, everyone will be equal before the law.”

Saada added: “There is no dispute today that Machash is not functioning properly and must undergo change. This system has strayed from its moral course. The law will restore public confidence in the justice system.”

Reports Highlighted Longstanding Problems

The explanatory notes accompanying the bill cited a series of reports issued in recent years, including findings by the State Comptroller, annual reports from the Public Defender’s Office, and a government-appointed committee report published in February 2025 examining Machash. According to the proposal, those reports identified significant shortcomings in the handling of police misconduct cases.

The majority opinion of the government committee emphasized concerns stemming from Machash’s subordination to the State Attorney’s Office and the close working relationship between prosecutors and police. The committee therefore recommended removing the department from prosecutorial oversight and establishing it as an independent body.

Recent high-profile investigations conducted by Machash have kept the agency in the public spotlight. As previously reported, the department recently arrested a police officer and two relatives, including a reserve colonel, on suspicion of involvement in a planned murder plot. Separately, prosecutors filed charges against a traffic police officer accused of fabricating traffic citations without ever encountering the motorists involved.

Ben Gvir: “Machash Will No Longer Be Under the Attorney General’s Control”

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir welcomed the legislation’s approval and argued that it strengthens Israeli democracy.

“Machash Law is an important law that strengthens the values of the State of Israel as a democratic state, and I congratulate MK Moshe Saada on its passage. Over the past three years, the dismissed Attorney General turned Machash into a private police force designed to intimidate police officers and combat soldiers.”

Ben Gvir added: “It is very good that Machash will no longer be under the control of a woman without restraints, who stops at nothing to achieve her goals—the intimidation of our police officers and fighters.”

{Matzav.com}