Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to remove Ronen Bar, the head of the Shin Bet domestic security agency, and is seeking cabinet approval for the move. This decision has raised concerns among his political foes that he will replace Bar with a loyalist, politicize the organization, and potentially use it to target his opponents.
Bar responded to the news by denouncing Netanyahu’s “expectation for personal loyalty” as violating public interest and laws. The Shin Bet agency is seen as apolitical, but its mandate includes safeguarding Israel’s democratic institutions.
Netanyahu has been pushing Bar for weeks to resign, but Bar refused. The Prime Minister’s aides have cited President Trump’s purging of the “deep state” as inspiration for Netanyahu’s decision. However, Bar claimed he had several sensitive investigations to complete before offering his resignation.
The investigation into three of Netanyahu’s advisers for their alleged contacts with Qatar has sparked controversy, and some critics argue that Netanyahu is trying to undermine the agency for political reasons. The Shin Bet is currently investigating two of Netanyahu’s advisers for allegedly receiving payments from Qatar during the Israel-Hamas war.
Netanyahu’s decision comes amid concerns about his handling of the October 7 attack, which allowed Hamas militants to breach Israeli defenses. Bar had taken responsibility for the failures and called for a national commission of inquiry, but Netanyahu blocked its formation.
Source: https://www.axios.com/2025/03/16/netanyahu-fire-shin-bet-ronen-bar