MK Amsalem
Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg
Bill nixing police recommendations on indictments moved to Amsalem's c'tee
Discussions on bill barring police from recommending indictments to be held in Knesset's Internal Affairs C'tee, chaired by same MK who sponsored the bill to begin with; transfer from Constitution C'tee carried out despite objections from legal advisers who deemed it 'irregular, not invalid.'
The Knesset’s House Committee approved transfer of the bill forbidding
police from making indictment recommendations when they conclude investigations to the Internal Affairs committee, chaired by MK David Amsalem
(Likud). The transfer was approved despite objections from the House Committee's legal advisers.
While the bill, which was initiated by Amsaelm, was meant to be debated at the Knesset's Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, chaired by the unsympathetic MK Nissan Slomiansky (Bayit Yehudi), Amsalem asked the bill to be discussed at the committee he chairs himself.
MK Amsalem's Internal Affairs Committee will discuss the bill he himself submitted (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg)
The opposition's attempts to file for a revision of its current draft were to no avail, with nine MKs voting in favor of the measure and seven opposing the proposed legislation in the committee chaired by Yoav Kish (Likud).
The House Committee's legal adviser said that according to regulations and the division of responsibilities between the parliament's various committees, a law barring indictment recommendations falls under the purview of the Constitution Committee rather than the Internal Affairs Committee. The adviser further deemed the move to be irregular, but not invalid.
MK Yoel Hasson (Zionist Union) attacked the committee transfer. "It's an absolute absurdity for Amsalem's bill to be transferred to Amsalem's committee. They have turned the Knesset into their playground. (Likud MK David) Bitan pales in comparison to Amsalem," he scathed.
Hasson's fellow parliamentarian Revital Swid added, "The series of legislative initiatives aimed against the police and its commissioner is part of a campaign to intimidate and weaken Israeli law enforcement. Now Knesset regulations are being perverted to forcibly move discussion of the recommendations bill to the Internal Affairs Committee, at the head of which is the originator of this ridiculous piece of legislation. (This is) grave, dangerous and shows that no means are out of bounds, including a blatant disregard of Knesset regulations and procedures."
MK Hasson said Bitan paled in comparison with Amsalem (Photo: Dana Koppel)
The bill was approved after a preliminary reading last week, but it was decided it will only be promoted with the consent of Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan, who notified earlier he'd be objecting to the bill's current promulgation.
State Attorney Shay Nitzan, irregularly present at the ministerial legislation committee meeting, said the law was "damaging and served to silence the police." Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit also spoke publically against the bill.
