Netanyahu seeks to oust security chief

The Israeli prime minister has cited a “persistent lack of confidence” in the Shin Bet chief as he moves to dismiss him

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced plans to remove Shin Bet director Ronen Bar. Earlier, the domestic security agency admitted to failures ahead of the October 7 Hamas attack, which resulted in over 1,200 people being killed and 250 taken hostage.

“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,” Netanyahu said in a video statement on Sunday. He argued 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 accused Bar of leading “an ongoing campaign of threats and media leaks” aimed at preventing him from “making the necessary decisions to restore the Shin Bet after its devastating failure on October 7.”

The move follows a recent internal Shin Bet report acknowledging that the agency had misjudged the threat from Hamas. The agency admitted it failed to act on warning signs and said the massacre “could have been prevented” if different steps had been taken before and on the night of the attack.

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Israeli Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara has challenged Netanyahu’s move, warning that the prime minister may not have the legal authority to dismiss the security chief.

While government officials praised the decision as overdue, opposition leaders condemned it as undemocratic, accusing Netanyahu of prioritizing personal interests over national security.

Bar, who has led Shin Bet since 2021, rejected Netanyahu’s attempt to remove him, saying on Sunday that his duties require him to stay due to ongoing security concerns, hostage negotiations, and sensitive investigations. He blamed the government for the October 7 attack, claiming that its long-standing policy on Gaza ignored the agency’s warnings. He added that his loyalty is to the Israeli public, not to fulfilling a “personal duty of trust” to the prime minister.

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Netanyahu also removed Bar and Mossad chief David Barnea from ceasefire negotiations with Hamas, accusing them of leaking details and taking a soft stance.

In February, Shin Bet opened an investigation into alleged lobbying by Netanyahu’s aides on behalf of Qatar. While rejecting any wrongdoing, Netanyahu’s office accused Shin Bet of selective enforcement by not probing the prime minister’s political rivals.