Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced his decision to dismiss Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, citing a lack of trust between them.
“I have decided to propose to the government the dismissal of Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar,” Netanyahu said in a video statement released by his office on Sunday.
“At all times, and especially during an existential war like this, there must be complete trust between the prime minister and the head of Shin Bet,” he added.
“Unfortunately, the opposite is true—I no longer have that trust,” Netanyahu said.
There was no immediate comment from Shin Bet or from Bar, whose dismissal would likely draw criticism in Israel.
TRT Global - In recent months, the Shin Bet has launched multiple investigations into Netanyahu's office officials and senior advisers.
Prime minister vs director
Tensions between Netanyahu and the Shin Bet escalated in recent days following the agency’s internal investigation into the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas blitz.
Netanyahu dismissed the report’s findings, saying they failed to answer key questions.
The security service acknowledged its failure to assess Hamas’ capabilities before the attack, but said Netanyahu’s policies were also among the underlying causes of the attack.
The recent war was triggered by Hamas' October 7, 2023 surprise attack, widely seen as Israel's worst security failure, which led to its single deadliest day, with 1,200 people killed and 251 taken hostage to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies.
Shin Bet is currently part of an investigation into possible links between employees in Netanyahu's office and Qatar, which has been mediating ceasefire talks between Hamas and Israel.
Netanyahu also faces charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, with the International Criminal Court issuing arrest warrants for him and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024 over atrocities in Gaza, where over 48,500 Palestinian people, mostly women and children, have been killed since October 7, 2023.
TRT Global - UN experts warn of an unprecedented campaign of starvation affecting over two million Palestinians in Gaza, describing it as the "fastest in modern history," as Israel halts all humanitarian aid into the occupied territory.
