The government of Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu has voted to dismiss Ronen Bar, the head of Israel’s Shin Bet internal security agency.
The decision, made during a cabinet meeting in the early hours of Friday, could still be challenged in Israel’s Supreme Court.
“The government has now unanimously approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s proposal to terminate the term of Shin Bet head Ronen Bar,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement Friday.
“Ronen Bar will end his role as Shin Bet head on April 10, 2025, or when a permanent Shin Bet head is appointed – whichever comes first,” it added.
The move followed a meeting between Netanyahu and Bar last week, during which the prime minister informed him of his plan to seek his dismissal.
In a video statement released on Sunday, Netanyahu said his “ongoing distrust” of Bar had prompted the decision. “At all times, but especially in such an existential war, the prime minister must have full confidence in the head of the Shin Bet,” Netanyahu said.
He further stated that Bar’s removal was necessary to meet Israel’s war objectives in Gaza and to “prevent the next disaster.” Netanyahu has repeatedly criticised the agency and held its leadership partly responsible for failing to prevent the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, which left over 1,200 people dead.
Shin Bet, which is tasked with countering domestic threats, had conducted an internal probe into the attack and concluded that it had “failed in its mission” to stop it. The agency’s report also pointed to broader government policies as contributing factors, including politicians’ visits to the Al Aqsa compound, “the treatment of prisoners, and the perception that Israeli society has been weakened due to the damage to social cohesion.”
An Israeli official told CNN on Thursday that the government had “lost all confidence in Ronen Bar, who continues to cling to his seat while cynically using the families of the hostages and politically improperly using his position to fabricate futile, unfounded investigations.”
Shin Bet is also said to have launched an inquiry into alleged lobbying efforts by members of Netanyahu’s office on behalf of Qatar – a claim Netanyahu’s office denies.
On Wednesday, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara sent a letter to Netanyahu, stating that Bar’s dismissal would require the consent of a special committee.
In response, Netanyahu wrote back on Thursday, accusing Baharav-Miara of “exceeding her authority” and “giving legal opinions and instructions to the government in violation of Supreme Court rulings.”
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Bar issued a statement shortly before the vote, describing the cabinet’s action as unlawful. “The vote by Netanyahu’s cabinet was hastily convened, contrary to every basic legal rule dealing with the right to be heard and contrary to the position of the legal adviser to the government.”
Netanyahu had earlier removed both Bar and Mossad chief David Barnea from indirect negotiations with Hamas over a Gaza ceasefire and hostage agreement.
Opposition lawmakers have condemned the move, alleging it is politically motivated.
“The dismissal of the head of the service at this time, at the initiative of the prime minister, sends a message to all those involved, a message that may jeopardize the optimal outcome of the investigation. This is a direct danger to the security of the state of Israel,” Bar said in his statement Thursday.
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