Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday to take measures to throw out the director of Shin Bet, the Israeli Domestic Intelligence Agency, causing concern among critics he wanted to undermine his independence.
The efforts of Mr. Netanyahu to release Ronen Bar, the head of a powerful agency, underlined many years of tension between the Prime Minister and the leading members of the Israeli security establishment, who clashed over the handling of the war in Gaza.
The decision to terminate Mr. Bar also followed the Shin Bet investigation by the allegations against several Netanyahu assistants, including the one allegedly leaked by a secret document to a foreign newspaper.
The Prime Minister’s office said that Mr. Netanyahu had informed Mr. Bar that the draft resolution would be presented to the Israeli cabinet for approval this week.
But in the letter, Gali Baharav-Miara, the Attorney General, said that Mr Netanyahu was not allowed to begin the proceedings at all until the determination of the legality of the abolition of the Lord Bar did not occur. She said there was a concern that it would be a conflict of interest in Mr. Netanyahu, because the agency explores his assistants.
The members of Mr. Netanyahua coalition requested a fire of Mr. Bar’s Prime Minister for what they say is undergoing a prime minister. They also called for the release of Mrs. Baharav-Miara, who had long had a hard-working relationship with Mr. Netanyahu.
Any decision to remove Mr. Bar, who has conducted an agency since 2021, would also probably complain to the Supreme Court.
In a recorded video posted on social networks, Mr. Netanyahu said the shooting was needed because he did not believe the Lord Bar.
“At any time – especially during the existential war like this – there must be complete confidence between the Prime Minister and the director of the Shin bet,” he said.
Mr. Bar responded with a strongly made public statement, saying that the expectation of Mr. Netanyahu was about “personal trust” in contrast to the public interests.
“This is basically a flawed expectation that is contrary to the Bet Law on State Law,” he said in a rare public statement.
Mr. Bar said that he had previously told Mr. Netanyahu that he was planning to stay in his position until the return of all the hostages held in Gaza and the end of a series of sensitive investigations. He also said he wanted to finish the preparation of two people he described as candidates to inherit him.
The move of the abolition of Mr. Bar -followed by removal in the last few months of two other security leaders who have often clashed with the Prime Minister: Minister of Defense And Israel Military chief of the headquarters.
Former Shin Bet members have caused concern about the possibility that Mr. Netanyahu nominating the heir to the gentleman’s bar on the basis of political considerations.
“Israeli democracy is on the fall,” said Ami Ayalon, former Shin Bet chief. If the Prime Minister manages to overthrow the Lord Bar, it would be “another step towards converting Israel into a state that gives a priority to personal loyalty to the leader above all,” he said.
This month, a subcutaneous bet published a summary Research on agency failures before and during the attack guided by October 2023, which was critical of both Mr. Netanyahu’s Government and the Agency. Although the abstract admitted that the lower leg was not able to warn the attack, he said he warned that Hamas had not been distracted in the previous months and recommended the action against a militant group.
The report also said that Shin Bet informed the Government that political divisions in Israel had strengthened their opponents, putting the land in a vulnerable position. This finding was widely considered a finger at the Government of Mr. Netanyahu, which encouraged the controversial legal overhaul that divided the Israeli public.
