Israel: Ben Gvir slams attorney general for suggesting Netanyahu fire him, calling it ‘coup attempt’

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir criticized Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara for sending a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calling for his resignation.

According to a report by The Times of Israel, Baharav-Miara sent a letter to Netanyahu on Thursday (November 14), proposing that he dismiss Ben Gvir as police minister due to his illegal attempts to intervene in police activities.

Ben Gvir went to X to criticize Baharav-Miara, calling her letter an “attempted coup.”

“The only impeachment that needs to be carried out is the impeachment of a government legal advisor who is trying to impeach a prime minister and remove a minister from office over political positions and policy implementation,” he wrote on X.

Also read | Iranian journalist commits suicide in Tehran after demanding the release of four prisoners

In her letter to Netanyahu, the attorney general said Ben Gvir appeared to violate Supreme Court decisions several times. She also accused him of violating instructions to refrain from interfering in operational police matters.

“It appears that the minister is using his authority to make appointments and terminate the tenure of officers in a manner that constitutes an unlawful intervention in the operational management of the police,” Baharav-Miara wrote in the letter, Times of reported Israel.

Ben Gvir is an ultranationalist activist turned lawyer with a history of security-related crimes.

Baharav-Miara’s letter came on the same day that leaders from all parties in the Israeli government’s coalition issued a statement denouncing any attempt by her to force Netanyahu to step aside.

The attorney general could reportedly deem the prime minister incapacitated while he testifies in his ongoing corruption trial.

On November 6, Ben Gvir praised Prime Minister Netanyahu’s dismissal of Yoav Gallant, saying that an “absolute victory” in the country’s ongoing wars was not possible under him.

“Congratulations to the Prime Minister for the decision to fire Gallant. An absolute victory cannot be achieved with Gallant. And the Prime Minister did the right thing in removing him from office,” Ben Gvir said on Telegram.

(With input from agencies)