Bayit Yehudi has made domestic security a key platform in the run-up to the March 17 elections, and wants to see its leading MK Ayelet Shaked as public security minister. The appointment of Shaked as minister would be a deal-breaker in any coalition negotiations after the elections.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



The party was to present its "Law and Order" plan on Sunday, detailing the changes they are proposing to the Public Security and Justice ministries.

"It's time to use an iron fist," party representatives said Saturday night. "Ayelet Shaked has proven to be an iron lady with terrorists, infiltrations and anything else she touches. It's time to have a woman public security minister for the first time."

Ayelet Shaked (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

Shaked would also push for "the end of the containment policy" on crime and for strong action against all criminal activity. "There won't be a street that police cars won't reach," party sources said.

Bayit Yehudi is also set to demand that responsibility for Bedouin land in the Negev is transferred to the Public Security Ministry, so that policies drafted by Benny Begin, the Prawer Commission and Yair Shamir can be changed, and a harder line taken. Among other things, Shaked apparently plans to put together a special unit to deal with the issue of protection money in the Negev and the Galilee.

In light of recent scandals involving the Israel Police's top officers, Shaked says she will unveil a plan to clean house and fight the phenomenon of sexual harassment in the police.

"For a decade now that the citizens of Israel are feeling the loss of law and order," Bayit Yehudi leader Naftali Bennett said Saturday night. "It's time to bring back law and order."

"If we have the best army in the world, we could have the best police force in the world," Shaked said. "We need proper management in the police."

Bedouins protest against the Prawer plan (Photo: Haim Horenstein)

Bayit Yehudi's plan will also include proposals for a series of reforms to the justice system: Changing the makeup of the Judicial Selection Committee, passing a "Basic Law: Legislation" which will make it harder on the Supreme Court to reject the Knesset's laws, and splitting the role of the Attorney General in two: A chief legal counsel to the government and a head of public prosecution.

Some of these initiatives were raised by Bayit Yehudi and the Likud in the past, but were blocked.

If appointed, Shaked, a former high-tech worker, would be the first public security minister in more than a decade without a strong defense background. The three previous incumbents have been senior officials in the police and Shin Bet.

Yaakov Peri, a former head of the Shin Bet and a member of Yesh Atid, criticized the idea, saying that "the lady is inexperienced. These are things that are crucial to Israel, and a little more caution should be used."

Bennett said in response that Peri's wording was chauvinistic, but reserved most of his indignation for use of the word "caution". "You speak of caution? You?" Bennett scolded.

"If I needed another reason to demand that Ayelet Shaked become the next internal security minister, today you have given be the greatest reason," said Bennett.

"Shaked, who passed the law against pardons for terrorist (against your party's stance), who passed the Referendum Law (to prevent people with ideas such as yours to arbitrary throw Jews out of the house), and who fought the battle of the unapologetic right her whole life – she is the most deserving person in the Knesset to hold this important position."