A political storm continues to shake Israel as the head of its domestic security agency, Shin Bet, strongly defended himself in court against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s attempt to remove him from office.
The confrontation has exposed deep tensions at the highest levels of government, raising concerns over political interference in national security matters.
Ronen Bar, the Shin Bet chief, submitted a sworn affidavit to Israel’s Supreme Court, claiming Netanyahu’s push to fire him in March came after he refused to carry out questionable political tasks. Among the requests, Bar said he was asked to use the agency to monitor anti-government protesters and interfere with Netanyahu’s ongoing corruption trial. He maintained that his dismissal was driven not by professional failures, but by a lack of personal loyalty to the prime minister.
Netanyahu’s office swiftly dismissed Bar’s claims, calling them completely false and saying Bar failed to do his job on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a deadly surprise attack on Israel. Netanyahu and his allies argue that this failure alone justifies his removal.
The attempted dismissal was frozen by the Supreme Court after immediate backlash from opposition politicians, legal experts, and public figures who called it politically motivated and harmful to Israel’s democratic institutions. Widespread protests followed, with demonstrators warning that government moves against independent security officials could undermine trust in key state bodies.
According to Bar’s testimony, tensions with the prime minister worsened between late 2024 and early 2025. During that time, Shin Bet launched investigations into leaks of sensitive military information, possible links between Netanyahu’s inner circle and Qatari officials, and the government’s own actions leading up to the October 7 attack. These investigations, Bar suggested, made him a target.
Bar also said he rejected a request to block continuous testimony by Netanyahu in his corruption trial, and resisted efforts to involve Shin Bet in suppressing domestic demonstrations.
Netanyahu’s office insists that none of these claims are valid. It accused Bar of turning against the government and acting outside his mandate. The prime minister’s Likud Party described the security chief’s recent actions as politically charged and warned of a growing divide within the country’s intelligence services.
Despite accepting responsibility for Shin Bet’s failure to prevent the October attack, Bar stated that efforts to dismiss him appear aimed at silencing internal criticism and obstructing ongoing investigations. He confirmed his intention to leave the post before his term ends but stressed that his decision will be made on his own terms—not through political pressure.
The case remains under review by the Supreme Court and continues to deepen the rift between Israel’s security leadership and its elected officials, while many citizens watch anxiously as democratic norms and checks on power come under increasing strain.