Head of police probe to retire

Cmdr. Manny Yitzhaki, the head of the police Intelligence and Investigations Division and also a key figure in the criminal investigation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, will retire in June, it was announced on Monday, without stating his replacement.

Yitzhaki’s retirement was announced alongside that of five other senior officers at a sensitive time, when the criminal investigation of the prime minister is still ongoing.

According to a statement earlier this month by Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit, information obtained by the Lahav 433 police unit and presented by Yitzhaki is what led to the corruption probe and eventual criminal investigation of Netanyahu.

Yitzhaki’s replacement must be confirmed by both Police Commissioner Insp.- Gen. Roni Alsheich and Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan (Likud). A police source confirmed that an appointment from outside police ranks is a possibility.

The chance of the investigation of Netanyahu being thrust upon an Erdan-recommended outside replacement may cause controversy, according to a report in Haaretz. However, a police source rejected any relation to the Netanyahu probe and Yitzhaki’s retirement.

The 60-year-old Yitzhaki joined the police in 1977 and has served as head of the Investigations and Intelligence Division since 2013. He previously commanded Lahav 433 was chief of the Jerusalem District.

Along with Yitzhaki, the five other senior officers retiring are Asst.-Ch. Moshe Ardi, 49, head of the Tel Aviv District police; Asst.Ch. Amos Yaakov, 54, head the Coastal District police; Dep.-Ch. Yael Idleman, 47, the first adviser to the police commissioner on women’s matters; Dep.-Ch. Shaul Gordon, 57, legal adviser, and Dep.Ch. Rachel Edelsberg, 60, head of the police disciplinary tribunal. •