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Kobi Shabtai
Shabtai in September 2022
19th Commissioner of Israel Police
In office January 17, 2021 (2021-01-17) – July 17, 2024 (2024-07-17)
Minister	Amir Ohana Omer Bar-Lev Itamar Ben-Gvir
Preceded by	Motti Cohen
Succeeded by	Daniel Levi
Personal details
Born	Yaakov Shabtai (1964-11-11) November 11, 1964 (age 60) Ashkelon, Israel
Military service
Allegiance	Israel
Rank	Captain

Yaakov "Kobi" Shabtai (Hebrew: יעקב (קובי) שבתאי; born November 11, 1964) is an Israeli police officer who served as the 19th Commissioner of Israel Police from January 17, 2021 to July 17, 2024. He has previously served as the Commander of the Border Police as a deputy commissioner.

Kobi Shabtai was born on November 11, 1964, in Ashkelon, Israel, to Iraqi Jewish immigrants. He is married with three daughters, including one who serves as a patrol officer in the police and another who enlisted in the Israel Border Police for her national service.^[1][2]

Shabtai was enlisted in the 202nd Battalion of the Paratroopers Brigade in 1982.^[3][4] He was discharged in 1987 at the end of his service at the rank of 'Seren' (Captain).^[4]

Shabtai joined the Israel Border Police in 1991.^[3]

In July 2020, Shabtai was diagnosed with COVID-19.^[5]

Shabtai was appointed Commissioner of Israel Police on January 17, 2021, succeeding Motti Cohen.^[6]

On 25 April 2021, Shabtai ordered the removal of barricades preventing access to the Damascus Gate in East Jerusalem after violent protests.^[7][8]

Following the 2021 Mount Meron crowd crush, Shabtai said that he would not allow the police to be scapegoated for the incident.^[9]

In a leaked recording of a conversation with National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Shabtai said "There's nothing we can do. They murder each other. It’s in their nature. That’s the mentality of the Arabs", resulting in leading Israeli Arab politicians calling for his dismissal for anti-Arab racism.^[10]

On 25 June 2023, Ben-Gvir announced that Shabtai's position as the head of the Israel Police would not be extended after the end of his term in January 2024. This announcement was the result of dispute between Gvir and Shabtai.^{[citation needed]}

The outbreak of the Israel–Hamas war on October 7 2023 resulted in the opposition party National Unity joining the thirty-seventh government led by prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to form a national unity government and the Israeli war cabinet .The new government decided that the tenures of outgoing Israeli officials would be extended in view of the prevailing situation in Israel. In December 2023, Gvir refused to extend the tenure of Israel Prison Service Commissioner Katy Perry and said that the extension of Shabtai's tenure was also in doubt. However, in January 2024 Shabtai was ultimately asked to continue in his position as the commissioner of Israel Police until 17 July 2024.^[11][12] He was succeeded by Daniel Levi.^[13]

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