Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu summoned Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar for an urgent meeting at his office on Sunday evening. According to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office, Netanyahu informed Bar that he would present a proposal to the government on Wednesday to end his term. It should be noted that Bar's dismissal was not coordinated with Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara.
Following their meeting, Netanyahu released a video detailing the reasons for his decision to fire Bar. "Due to ongoing distrust, I have decided to bring a proposal to the government to end the Shin Bet chief's tenure."
He added that this lack of trust had grown over time. "Because of this ongoing distrust, I have decided to bring a proposal to the government this week to end the Shin Bet chief's tenure. I want to make it clear - I have deep appreciation for the men and women of the Shin Bet. They do dedicated and important work to ensure our security. As the prime minister responsible for the Shin Bet, I am certain that this step is necessary to rehabilitate the organization, achieve all our war objectives, and prevent the next disaster."
Ronen Bar responded to Netanyahu's announcement, stating: "I have taken responsibility for the role the Shin Bet played and made it clear that I intend to fulfill that responsibility before the end of my term."
Bar added, "It is clear that my dismissal is not related to October 7. The prime minister clarified that his decision is based on his claim of ongoing distrust between us."
According to Bar, "Under my leadership, the Shin Bet conducted a thorough investigation that identified intelligence failures and internal processes that needed correction - reforms that are already underway. The investigation also revealed a prolonged and deliberate disregard by the political leadership of the agency's warnings."
Escalating tensions
In recent days, amid tensions between them, voices in Netanyahu's inner circle suggested that after failing to convince Bar to resign, the prime minister decided to fire him. While Bar had no intention of serving a full term, he also did not plan to resign before May - contrary to Netanyahu's preference for an earlier departure.
Netanyahu's leading candidate for the next Shin Bet chief is "M," a member of Israel's negotiating team and until recently Bar's deputy. "M" led the Israeli delegation to recent talks in Doha and is coordinating Israel's efforts for a hostage deal. He was initially set to end his tenure around the start of the war. "M" began his career in the Shin Bet as a field coordinator in Judea and Samaria and has since held key positions in counterterrorism operations. He was eventually appointed deputy Shin Bet chief, a position he has held for three years. His term was extended several times since the war began at the request of the Shin Bet chief and the prime minister.
