Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is considering firing Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) chief Ronen Bar, according to sources close to the prime minister.
According to the sources, Netanyahu discussed this possibility following the flares that were fired near his home in Caesarea on Saturday, justifying the sacking of Bar as a security failure.
Among his close associates, some are pressuring him to do so soon.
The Prime Minister’s Office stated in response, “The report is completely untrue. No discussion on the matter took place.” However, in recent hours, media figures associated with Netanyahu and considered close to him, such as Yinon Magal and Shimon Riklin from Channel 14, tweeted calls to dismiss and remove the Chief of Staff and the Shin Bet chief over the Eli Feldstein affair.
Magal tweeted “A senior government official: “The Prime Minister must dismiss the head of the Shin Bet.”
בכיר בממשלה: המעצר של פלדשטיין זה ניסיון הפיכה של השב״כ והפרקליטות – רה״מ צריך להדיח את ראש השב״כ
— ינון מגל (@YinonMagal) November 18, 2024
הרמטכל.וראש השב״כ.נלחמים בממשלה.ובכל מי שלא חושב כמוהם.ומי שמעז להדליף משהו שמראה כמה הם מטעים את הציבור ומשקרים אותו.וכמה הם ממשיכים להסתיר מהממשלה מידע.זוכה לטיפול של מחבל ומושיבים אותו עם מחבלים באותו תא.מעשה נבלה נעשה בישראל.חייבים להעיף את הרצי ואת רונן בר הביתה
— שמעון ריקלין (@Riklin10) November 18, 2024
Riklin tweeted: “We must send Herzi and Ronen Bar home.”
Bar was appointed head of the Shin Bet in 2021 for a legally mandated five-year term, but the government has the authority to terminate his tenure and appoint a different head of the Shin Bet in his place. However, in the history of the State of Israel, no head of the Shin Bet has ever been dismissed during their term. Only two heads of the Shin Bet resigned from their positions before completing their appointments.
Criticism of Bar
The relationship between the Netanyahu family and the head of the Shin Bet over the past two years has been known to be tense, partly due to the family’s security demands, warnings given—or not given—prior to October 7, and Bar’s stance, along with that of other top security officials, regarding negotiations for the return of the hostages.
Earlier in November, Netanyahu dismissed Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over his positions on the draft exemption law, the “day after” strategy in Gaza, and the approach to securing the hostages’ release.
In July, it was reported that Netanyahu’s plan following Gallant’s dismissal was to also dismiss the Chief of Staff and the head of the Shin Bet, appointing new officials of his choosing to all senior security positions.
Criticism from Netanyahu’s associates on the Shin Bet chief has intensified in recent weeks following the Shin Bet’s investigation into the classified documents affair, in which the Prime Minister’s spokesperson, Eli Feldstein.
This is a developing story.
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