Ronen Bar/Amos Ben Gershom / Government Press Office of Israel, CC BY-SA 3.0
by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced plans to dismiss Shin Bet director Ronen Bar this week, citing “growing distrust” over time. This marks a major upheaval in Israel’s security leadership during a critical time for the nation.
Netanyahu plans to present a Cabinet resolution this week to remove Bar before his term ends in October 2026, following months of tensions, including Netanyahu’s accusations of Bar briefing journalists against the government and removing him from the Israeli negotiating team last month.
“During such an existential war, the prime minister must fully trust the Shin Bet’s head,” Netanyahu stated, referring to the war against Hamas terrorists after the October 7 massacre. “Regrettably, I lack this confidence.”
While the government is expected to approve the unprecedented dismissal of Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, it will mark the first time in Israel’s history that a head of a security organization has been removed.
However, the decision faces significant legal challenges, with Bar suggesting that the move is improper.
Netanyahu’s allies see the dismissal of Ronen Bar as essential, while his critics view it as an attack on democracy, further deepens national divisions.
Critics argue that Netanyahu is consolidating power by ousting key officials, including IDF Chief Herzi Halevi and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The pending dismissal of Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, coupled with ongoing efforts to remove Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, signals a broader purge of top state officials.
Shin Bet, essentially Israel’s version of the U.S. Secret Service and FBI rolled into one, handles Arab-related counterterrorism, counterintelligence, and provides security of the Prime Minister, Supreme Court, opposition leader, and Knesset chairman, along with other high-profile figures. Despite being a security agency, the Shin Bet is not under the Israeli Ministry of Defense and reports directly to the Prime Minister.
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