Israeli administration votes to sack Shin Bet's director, under the leadership of Prime Minister Netanyahu.
In a surprising turn of events, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has proposed to sack Ronen Bar, the current head of the Shin Bet internal security service. This move could potentially be challenged by Israel's Supreme Court, given the potential for appeals.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Prime Minister's Office confirmed the proposal, stating, "The government has now unanimously approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's proposal to terminate the term of Shin Bet head Ronen Bar." The statement further specified that Bar will vacate his position by April 10, 2025, or upon the appointment of a permanent Shin Bet head, whichever comes first.
Last week, Netanyahu met with Bar to inform him of the proposed removal. In a video statement released on Sunday, the Prime Minister cited his "ongoing distrust" of Bar as the primary reason for this move. He emphasized, "At all times, but especially in such an existential war, the prime minister must have full confidence in the head of the Shin Bet."
Netanyahu added that dismissing Bar was crucial for achieving Israel's war goals in Gaza and "prevention of the next disaster." The prime minister has been vocal about criticizing the agency, pinning the blame for the security lapses leading to the 2023 Hamas attacks that claimed more than 1,200 lives, on the agency's leaders.
In response to these attacks, Shin Bet, the agency responsible for monitoring domestic threats to Israel, carried out an internal investigation. The investigation found that the agency had "failed in its mission" to prevent the attacks. Interestingly, it also attributed certain contributing factors to policies enacted by Netanyahu's government, such as politicians' visits to the Al Aqsa compound in Jerusalem, "the treatment of prisoners," and "damage to social cohesion."
An Israeli official told CNN that the government has "lost all confidence in Ronen Bar, who continues to cling to his seat while cynically using the families of the hostages and politically improperly using his position to fabricate futile, unfounded investigations."
Recently, Shin Bet reportedly opened an investigation into allegations that members of Netanyahu's office inappropriately lobbied on behalf of Qatar - a accusation his office denies.
On Wednesday, the office of Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara sent a letter to Netanyahu stating that the government could not fire Bar without the approval of a special committee. Netanyahu responded with a letter on Thursday, claiming that Baharav-Miara was "exceeding her authority" and "giving legal opinions and instructions to the government in violation of Supreme Court rulings."
Bar released a statement hours before his dismissal, criticizing the move as "hastily convened" and "contrary to every basic legal rule dealing with the right to be heard."
Netanyahu has previously removed both Bar and the head of the Mossad intelligence service, David Barnea, from the negotiating team engaging in indirect talks with Hamas regarding the Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal.
Political opponents have criticized Netanyahu's targeting of Bar, suggesting it as a politically motivated move. "The dismissal of the head of the service at this time, at the initiative of the prime minister, sends a message to all those involved, a message that may jeopardize the optimal outcome of the investigation. This is a direct danger to the security of the state of Israel," Bar said in his statement.
- The Middle East, specifically Israel, faces a potential challenge to the world stage as Israel's Supreme Court might question the termination of Ronen Bar, the current head of the Shin Bet internal security service, proposed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
- Although the proposal to terminate the tenure of Ronen Bar by April 10, 2025, or upon the appointment of a permanent Shin Bet head, was approved unanimously by the government, it has been met with criticism from political opponents and Bar himself, who sees it as a hastily convened and potentially dangerous move.
- In his video statement, Prime Minister Netanyahu referenced the "ongoing distrust" of Bar and emphasized that dismissing him was crucial for Israel's war goals in Gaza and prevention of future disasters, in light of the security lapses identified in the 2023 Hamas attacks.
