(TJV NEWS) National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir is advancing a controversial new policy restricting how police handle demonstrations, The Times of Israel reported Thursday. The measures would bar protesters from blocking major highways, rallying at synagogues, or obstructing access to sensitive sites such as hospitals, Ben Gurion Airport, and isolated towns.

According to The Times of Israel, the policy requires demonstrators to obtain advance police approval before blocking any urban roads. Protests at synagogues would be outright forbidden, with the document arguing that freedom of religion outweighs freedom of protest in houses of worship. Ben Gvir has justified the ban by pointing to instances in which demonstrators targeted religious political leaders at the synagogues they attend.

“Freedom of religion and the conscience for worshipers in the synagogue overrides the freedom to protest within or at the site of a synagogue or any other house of worship,” the policy states, as cited by The Times of Israel.

The far-right minister said he first sought approval from Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara several months ago, but claimed she ignored the request. On Thursday, Ben Gvir issued an ultimatum: unless the attorney general responds within five days, he will implement the restrictions unilaterally.

Senior police officials pushed back against the plan, telling Ynet that operational decisions about protests should remain with commanders on the ground, not with politicians. As The Times of Israel noted, Ben Gvir previously signed a binding compromise with Baharav-Miara requiring him to coordinate with her and the police commissioner before setting policy on demonstrations and freedom of expression.

That agreement also stipulates that any protest guidelines must be published in advance, apply generally rather than to specific events, and ensure equal treatment for all groups. The Times of Israel added that the policy must not be altered in reaction to individual protest movements.

Tensions between Ben Gvir and Baharav-Miara have been a recurring feature of the government, with the attorney general repeatedly accusing the minister of undermining the apolitical character of the police. The government’s recent effort to oust her from office has been frozen by Israel’s High Court, pending review.

The announcement of Ben Gvir’s new rules comes just days after massive demonstrations in support of a hostage-ceasefire deal brought traffic to a standstill on major roads linking Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. As The Times of Israel reported, organizers have vowed to keep mobilizing, staging two nationwide days of protest over the past two weeks and promising further actions until the government agrees to the deal currently on the table.