Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided to fire Ronen Bar, the head of the country’s internal security agency, the Shin Bet.
Netanyahu said in a video statement that the head of the security agency must have complete confidence, and that his trust in Ronen Bar has been lost.
The decision came at a time when the Shin Bet admitted in a report that it failed to prevent the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, while also holding the Israeli government responsible for the tragedy.
Bar responded to the firing decision by saying that he was acting with complete honesty and in the interest of the country, and that his dismissal was being carried out for political reasons.
The dispute became more complicated when investigations began against Netanyahu’s close advisers in the “Qatargate” scandal. The scandal alleges that alleged financial payments from Qatar reached Netanyahu’s office, under which Qatar tried to improve its reputation in Israel.
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid accused Netanyahu of trying to undermine the investigation into the Qatargate scandal by removing the security chief.
On the other hand, Netanyahu’s supporters praised the decision, saying that the move should have been made earlier.
The issue is further escalating tensions in Israeli politics, while experts say the removal of Ronen Bar could install a loyalist in the security agency, which could influence future investigations.
