Attorney General to indict Israel’s prison chief for obstructing investigation into West Bank detective

Attorney General decides to indict IPS Commissioner Kobi Yaakobi for breach of trust after he allegedly leaked info on a probe into a senior West Bank cop.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 28, 2026, 12:27 PM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from The Times of Israel

A Year of Deliberation Leads to Prosecution

The decision to move forward with criminal charges against Chief Commissioner Kobi Yaakobi marks a significant escalation in a high-profile legal saga involving Israel’s top law enforcement circles. Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara finalized the decision to indict after nearly 12 months of review by the State Attorney’s Office. Yaakobi, who transitioned from a high-ranking ministerial role to lead the Israel Prison Service (IPS) in early 2026, now faces charges that could abruptly end his leadership of the nation’s correctional facilities. The indictment follows a preliminary hearing process that began in July, which failed to dissuade prosecutors from pursuing the case.

Allegations of Tipping Off a Senior Detective

The core of the prosecution’s case rests on the relationship between Yaakobi and Avishai Muallem, a former senior detective within the West Bank police division. Prosecutors allege that Yaakobi used his position of power to obstruct a sensitive and covert investigation in which Muallem was a primary suspect. Specifically, Yaakobi is accused of informing Muallem about the existence of the probe, effectively compromising the investigation’s integrity. This breach of trust reportedly occurred via a wiretapped phone call, providing investigators with the direct evidence needed to build the current obstruction case.

The Context of Jewish Nationalist Violence Investigations

The investigation that Yaakobi allegedly compromised was centered on Muallem’s conduct regarding Jewish nationalist violence in the West Bank. Muallem, who has already been indicted on separate charges, was suspected of intentionally weakening or "papering over" active investigations into extremist activities. Investigators believe these actions were taken to curry political favor with National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. At the time of the alleged leak, Yaakobi was serving as Ben Gvir’s security secretary, a role that gave him broad access to intelligence regarding ongoing police and internal affairs probes.