Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced his decision to seek the removal of Ronen Bar, the head of the Shin Bet security service, after months of mounting tension between the two. Image: Times of Israel.
(The Post News)– Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that he will seek to have Ronen Bar, director of the Shin Bet domestic security agency, ousted after weeks of growing tension between the two of them. The move, which will come to the Israeli government later this week, followed a meeting where Netanyahu informed Bar of his intention to present the chief with his sacking.
The prime minister is reported to have the required majority support in his cabinet to get Bar removed. However, the action may be challenged legally because it could be subject to appeals from Israel’s Supreme Court.Bar reacted by issuing a statement in which he reaffirmed his commitment to his duties and obligations. “The duty of public trust that rests with the head of the Shin Bet is first and foremost to the citizens of Israel,” Bar added. He continued to state that Netanyahu’s taking upon himself a personal duty of trust, as he stated, It violates the public interest, was flawed in its essence.
Netanyahu, delivering a video speech, explained his move was made out of “lack of confidence” in Bar, especially in the midst of such an “existential conflict” for Israel. The prime minister underlined that during the time of a crisis, notably during the current war with Hamas in Gaza, it was absolutely crucial that he have faith in the head of Shin Bet totally.
The action comes after Netanyahu repeatedly criticized the management of Shin Bet for security missteps leading up to the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack that killed over 1,200 Israelis. Shin Bet itself conducted an internal inquiry, owning up to its inability to prevent the attacks. The inquiry also tactfully blamed Netanyahu’s government for mishandling funding of Hamas as well as cracks within Israeli society induced by Netanyahu’s controversially panned judicial reforms.
Shin Bet’s internal report highlighted that Hamas was poised to benefit from Qatari donations approved by the Israeli government. The agency also indicated that the timing of the attack overlapped with the political unrest in Israel, led largely by protests against Netanyahu’s judicial reform proposals.
In the wake of these incidents, the Shin Bet has been reported to have launched its own investigation into allegations that Netanyahu’s office had lobbied on behalf of Qatar, which his office denies. Furthermore, Netanyahu has removed Bar and Mossad head David Barnea from the Israeli team that is conducting indirect negotiations with Hamas. The removal of Bar has also caused a fierce political scandal, with opposition members charging Netanyahu acted on political grounds.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid criticized the timing of Bar’s potential ousting, stating that Netanyahu waited until an investigation into Qatar’s meddling in his office had been opened. Lapid called the move politically motivated. National Unity Chairman Benny Gantz asserted that ousting Bar would hurt Israel’s security and national unity, threatening that it would lead to division in Israeli society.
Not all members of Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition, though, were approving of the move. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called Bar’s removal a “necessary step,” contending that Bar should have resigned over a year ago since he was not able to take responsibility for the Hamas attack. Former National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir also defended Netanyahu’s move, stating that officials who acted against elected officials in a political way had no space.
While the controversy about Bar’s potential dismissal is escalating, it can be seen that the repercussions of such an action could have far-reaching impacts on Israel’s security establishment and its political landscape.
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