Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that he will take steps to dismiss the head of the country's domestic intelligence agency due to "long-standing distrust" between them. This extraordinary move comes days after Netanyahu accused Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar and his predecessor of conducting a "blackmail" campaign against him, further escalating tensions within the Israeli government.
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03-17, 2025According to Israeli media reports, tensions between Netanyahu and Bar have been ongoing for months. The Prime Minister's office has reportedly been attempting to place the entire blame for the deadly October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on intelligence and defense officials. Bar had reportedly pledged to resign as head of the Israel Security Agency (ISA), commonly known as Shin Bet, once Hamas released all remaining Israeli hostages. Currently, 59 hostages remain held in Gaza, with 35 believed to be dead, adding pressure on the government to secure their release.
In a video statement released on Sunday evening, Netanyahu stated that Israel faces a "battle for survival," and therefore the Prime Minister "must have full confidence in the head of the Shin Bet." He also stated, "Unfortunately, the opposite is true – I do not have such confidence. I have a continuous distrust of the head of the Shin Bet, which has intensified over time. Due to this continuous distrust, I have decided to submit a resolution proposal to the government this week to terminate the head of the Shin Bet's position." Israel's security cabinet is expected to vote on the move on Wednesday, potentially leading to significant changes in the country's security apparatus.
Netanyahu also stated, "I want to make one thing clear – I greatly appreciate all the staff of the Shin Bet. They do dedicated and important work for the security of us all. As the Prime Minister responsible for the Shin Bet, I am convinced that this step is necessary to rebuild the organization, achieve all our war aims, and prevent the next disaster." One of the Shin Bet's primary responsibilities is to monitor Palestinian militants and terrorist organizations, and the agency's failures prior to October 7, 2023, have been subject to widespread criticism, demanding comprehensive reforms.
The Hamas attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people and the abduction of 251 hostages. Several investigations have been launched into the actions of intelligence and defense officials prior to the deadly attack, which triggered the Gaza war. In recent weeks, the head of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has also been replaced. The Shin Bet had been involved in ceasefire and hostage negotiations, as has Israel's international spy agency Mossad, but both agencies have reportedly been sidelined in recent weeks, impacting the negotiation process.
Last week, Ronen Bar's predecessor, Nadav Argaman, gave an explosive interview to Israel's Channel 12. Argaman claimed to possess a significant amount of damaging information about Netanyahu and would make it public if he believed the Prime Minister was violating the law. Netanyahu responded to the interview by stating, "Israeli democracy has crossed another dangerous red line. In the entire history of Israel and the entire history of democracies, there has never been a former head of the Shin Bet who made a live blackmail threat against a sitting Prime Minister." He also posted on social media platform X, "This crime joins an entire blackmail campaign carried out in recent days by the current head of the Shin Bet, Ronen Bar, through media briefings." The Prime Minister accused the two men of trying to prevent him from rebuilding the organization, stating, "Let it be clear – mafia-style criminal threats will not deter me." His lawyers have since filed a complaint with the police regarding the interview, seeking a formal investigation into the allegations.
