The Israeli Cabinet on Friday fired Ronen Bar, the chief of Shin Bet. This is for the first time in Israeli history that a premier has fired the head of the nation’s internal security agency.
Bar was part of the Israeli negotiating team that struck the deal with Hamas for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and release of hostages in January. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later removed him from the talks. The new team has not been able to reach any deal with Hamas so far.
Bar’s removal comes in the midst of a Shin Bet investigation into Netanyahu’s aides for taking bribes from Qatari officials. Separately, Netanyahu is also facing a corruption trial.
Bar did not attend the government meeting in which he was fired. Instead, he sent a scathing letter in which he said the firing was illegal and motives behind the act were “fundamentally flawed”. The case is likely to go the Supreme Court.
Bar’s removal comes at a time when Israeli society stands deeply divided. Under Netanyahu’s latest government, the most right-wing in Israel’s history, extremist elements have gained power and Netanyahu has consolidated power around him. If Bar’s firing is litigated in court, it would further inflame the tensions as Netanyahu’s followers have long blasted the country’s judiciary for interfering in the government’s work.
In a statement after the working, a spokesperson for Netanyahu blamed Bar for the October 7 attack.
Content retrieved from: https://www.firstpost.com/world/israeli-cabinet-fires-shin-bet-chief-ronen-bar-netanyahu-blames-him-for-oct-7-failure-13873235.html.
