Officer probed for bribery, delaying terror cases, leaves police

Deputy Commissioner Avi Moalem, who until recently commanded the Judea and Samaria District investigations unit in the Israel Police, is ending his police service and moving to the position of city manager of Tiberias. The appointment is expected to take effect immediately upon his formal retirement from the force, according to a report Monday evening on Channel 12 News.

Moalem has been at the center of a complex media and legal affair in recent months. He was investigated on suspicion of bribery, fraud and breach of trust, with the central allegation being that he delayed investigative actions against Jewish terror suspects. In addition, it was claimed that he received benefits in exchange for assistance in erasing the criminal record of a businessman.

"They framed me" — Moalem breaks his silence

In a recent interview with Kan 11, Moalem broke his silence and sharply attacked the Shin Bet, the Police Internal Investigations Department (Mahash) and the State Attorney's Office. According to him, "they framed him" following prolonged confrontations with the Shin Bet's Jewish Division over the handling of Jewish crime in Judea and Samaria.

Moalem claimed that throughout hundreds of hours of interrogation, no evidence was presented to him linking him to the transfer of information or to improper activity on behalf of National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir or his associates. He even offered to undergo a polygraph test on the matter, according to his account.

According to his version, Shin Bet personnel applied pressure to carry out arrests even in cases where there was insufficient evidence, and he opposed this time after time. Moalem described a troubled relationship with the Shin Bet's Jewish Division dating back to his tenure as head of the nationalist crime division.