The Shin Bet is responsible for monitoring Palestinian militant groups.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced his intention to introduce a vote in the government this week seeking the dismissal of Ronen Bar, the director of the Shin Bet internal security service.
Netanyahu cited his long-standing lack of trust in Bar as the reason for this decision. The move follows a heated dispute between the two men, primarily revolving around the accountability for the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack that triggered the conflict in Gaza.
Responsibility for monitoring Palestinian militant organizations falls under the purview of the Shin Bet. In a recent development, the agency acknowledged its shortcomings in relation to the October 7 attack. However, it also pointed fingers at Netanyahu, arguing that inadequate government policies had contributed to the circumstances leading up to the assault.
The tensions boiled over this weekend when Bar’s predecessor, Nadav Argaman, said he would release sensitive information about Netanyahu if it is found that the prime minister had broken the law. Netanyahu accused Argaman of blackmail and filed a police complaint.
The Shin Bet did not have an immediate response to Netanyahu’s announcement.
Netanyahu has resisted calls for an official state commission of inquiry into the Oct. 7 attack and has tried to blame the failures on the army and security agencies. In recent months, a number of senior security officials, including a former defense minister and army chief, have been fired or forced to step down. Bar had been one of the few remaining senior security officials since the Oct. 7 attack to remain in office.
Netanyahu said Sunday his distrust in the head of the Shin Bet had grown over time, and that removing Bar from his position would help Israel “achieve its war goals and prevent the next disaster.”
If Bar is removed, Netanyahu is expected to appoint a loyalist in his place, slowing any momentum for the commission of inquiry.
Netanyahu is also angry that the Shin Bet is investigating members of his staff for their dealings with Qatar. The Shin Bet, and Bar, have been closely involved with the hostage negotiations during the war in Gaza.
Netanyahu recently removed Bar from the negotiating team and replaced him with a loyalist, Cabinet minister Ron Dermer. Israeli media have repeatedly reported on deep policy differences between the negotiators, who have pushed for a hostage deal, and Netanyahu, who continues to threaten to resume the war.
