(haipo) The Chairman of the Bar Association, Attorney Amit Bachar, and Deputy Attorney Tami Ullman, addressed a sharp letter to the Police Commissioner, Chief Superintendent Danny Levy, following statements made by the Commander of the Coast Guard, Chief Superintendent Yoni Hajj, during a podcast interview.
Bachar and Ullman claimed that the officer's words towards the legal community exceeded the limits of legitimate criticism, included derogatory statements and criticism of the professional work of defense attorneys, and called for the matter to be examined and appropriate steps to be taken.
A furore followed the statements of the commander of the Coast Guard, Lt. Col. Yoni Hajj, which provoked a strong response from the Israel Bar Association. In a letter sent yesterday, Wednesday, 4/11/26, to the Police Commissioner, Lt. Col. Danny Levy, the chairman of the bar, Attorney Amit Bachar, and Deputy Attorney Tami Ullman, expressed their protest over the remarks attributed to the officer during an interview he gave on a podcast.
According to the letter, during the interview, Attorney General Hajj referred to the work of lawyers, and in particular of defense attorneys who represent suspects and defendants in criminal proceedings. In his remarks, it is alleged, he presented the defense attorney community in a negative light, making sweeping accusations that lawyers lie, deceive, disrupt investigations, and act in any way possible for their clients, even at the cost of harming the legal process.
It was also noted that the officer also harshly criticized the Attorney General's Office, attributing to it conduct that makes it difficult for the investigation and, according to him, prevents the full realization of justice for lawyers suspected of crimes.
The chairman of the Bar Association and the Attorney General's Office emphasize in their letter that there is nothing wrong with professional criticism of the legal system or the work of lawyers, but when the words are spoken by a senior police officer, in uniform and within the framework of his duties, they have broad public and systemic significance. According to him, statements of this kind are liable to damage public confidence in the legal system, present the legal community as acting in violation of the law, and undermine the status of the right to representation and defense of suspects and defendants.
Bachar also warns against the attempt to blur the line between police work and defense work. He says that lawyers play a central role in upholding the rule of law, human rights, and the rights of suspects and defendants, and their role cannot be perceived as hostile to the law enforcement system simply because they are fulfilling their professional duty to protect their clients.
At the end of the letter, the Bar Association demands that the statements and the legal and systemic aspects arising from them be examined, and that appropriate steps be taken if it is found that the statements deviate from what is expected of a senior police officer. The Bar Association also requests that all aspects relating to the described conduct be examined, including its implications for the police's relations with the legal community and the status of the judicial system.
The Bar Association's message is clear: Criticism of the work of defense attorneys is legitimate, but generalizations, slander, and the casting of blame on an entire community of professionals by senior officials in the law enforcement system are matters that should not be allowed to pass the agenda.
The chairman of the Haifa District Bar Association, Attorney Shadi Srouji, who also serves as a criminal defense attorney, told Haifa: "These are harsh and baseless statements. To the extent that they have a factual basis, I invite the relevant authorities to investigate the matter. Defense attorneys perform their duties professionally and with dedication, while acting for the benefit of their clients. Defense attorneys are court officials, and act within the framework of their duties and commitment to the legal system."
No response was provided by the police.
Of course they will be there and will protect their clients and do everything to help them. That's their job. They get a lot of money for their representation.