The move to dismiss Ronen Bar follows tensions over blame for the failures leading to Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack. The Shin Bet, which is responsible for monitoring Palestinian militant groups, recently released a report acknowledging its failures in the attack while also criticising Mr Netanyahu, stating that government policies contributed to the events.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he is planning to fire the head of Shin Bet - the country's domestic intelligence agency. Mr Netanyahu informed Ronen Bar during an urgent meeting on Sunday and announced the intention, to immediate criticism from opposition politicians.
Tensions between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar are not new. Even before the war, during the protests against the judicial overhaul, members of Netanyahu’s coalition repeatedly criticized Bar. Throughout the war, these clashes intensified, though Netanyahu himself rarely attacked Bar directly—most of the criticism came from his allies or party members. However, everything changed after Netanyahu returned from his visit with U.S. President Donald Trump and after the decision to open an investigation into the "Qatar-Gate" affair.
