Citing a “persistent lack of confidence,” the Israeli prime minister is moving to dismiss the head of the Shin Bet security agency.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced his intention to remove Ronen Bar from his position as director of the Shin Bet. This announcement follows the domestic security agency’s admission of failures leading up to the October 7 Hamas attack, an event that resulted in over 1,200 deaths and the capture of 250 hostages.
In a video statement released on Sunday, Netanyahu stated, “Due to ongoing lack of trust, I have decided to bring a proposal to the government to end the tenure of the Shin Bet chief, Ronen Bar.” He asserted that “this step is crucial in order to restore the organization, to achieve all of our war objectives, and to prevent the next tragedy.”
The prime minister has also accused Bar of orchestrating “an ongoing campaign of threats and media leaks” intended to prevent Netanyahu from “making the necessary decisions to restore the Shin Bet after its devastating failure on October 7.”
This action follows a recent internal Shin Bet report acknowledging the agency’s misjudgment of the threat posed by Hamas. The report conceded that the agency failed to act on available warning signs and that the massacre “could have been prevented” had different measures been implemented before and during the night of the attack.
Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara has challenged Netanyahu’s authority to dismiss the security chief, questioning the legality of the move.
While some government officials have lauded the decision as long overdue, opposition leaders have denounced it as undemocratic, accusing Netanyahu of prioritizing his own interests over the security of the nation.
Bar, who has been in charge of Shin Bet since 2021, has refused Netanyahu’s attempt to remove him, declaring on Sunday that his responsibilities necessitate his continued presence due to ongoing security concerns, hostage negotiations, and sensitive investigations. He placed blame for the October 7 attack on the government, arguing that its long-standing Gaza policy disregarded the agency’s warnings. He further stated that his allegiance is to the Israeli people, rather than fulfilling a “personal duty of trust” to the prime minister.
Netanyahu also excluded Bar and Mossad chief David Barnea from ceasefire negotiations with Hamas, alleging that they leaked information and adopted a lenient stance.
In February, Shin Bet initiated an investigation into alleged lobbying on behalf of Qatar by Netanyahu’s aides. Although denying any misconduct, Netanyahu’s office accused Shin Bet of selective enforcement by neglecting to investigate the prime minister’s political opponents.
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