فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Sunday his intention to dismiss the head of the Shin Bet, Ronen Bar, citing a loss of confidence in him. This move, along with the ongoing conflict between the government and Israel’s Attorney General, threatens to plunge the country into a deep political crisis, especially amid sensitive ceasefire negotiations in Gaza with Hamas. Bar had previously indicated his intention to resign before the end of his term, scheduled for late 2026, acknowledging his responsibility for his agency’s failure to prevent the deadly Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, in southern Israel. However, Bar suggested on Sunday that Netanyahu’s “loss of confidence” stemmed from his refusal to comply with the Prime Minister’s demands for “personal loyalty.”
For her part, Attorney General and government legal advisor Gali Baharav-Miara informed Netanyahu on Sunday evening that “this process cannot begin before the factual and legal foundations” of the decision are clarified, noting that this step is unprecedented in Israel’s history. Baharav-Miara herself faces the threat of dismissal after Justice Minister Yariv Levin initiated preliminary steps for a no-confidence vote against her, criticizing her reservations about the legality of several government decisions and projects.
These measures, which are expected to take a long time amid the opposition’s announcement of its intention to resort to the judiciary, may reach the Supreme Court, which is also in Netanyahu’s crosshairs. At the beginning of 2023, a judicial reform project aimed at reducing the Supreme Court’s authority led to a sharp division in the country, sparking one of the largest protest movements in Israel’s history. The war that broke out after the October 7 attack halted this reform. In this context, the “Kaplan Force” group, which led the opposition against the judicial reform, announced a protest march against the dismissal of the Shin Bet chief on Tuesday in Tel Aviv.
Bar’s dismissal comes at a critical time in the negotiations with Hamas, which have reached a deadlock over renewing the ceasefire in Gaza that began on January 19. Since the Hamas attack, Netanyahu has dismissed Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and several high-ranking military officials have resigned, including Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi. Gallant, who disagreed with Netanyahu over how to manage the war, had strongly criticized the judicial reform in 2023.
Former Defense Minister Benny Gantz, one of the opposition leaders, described Bar’s dismissal as a “direct attack on state security and the unity of Israeli society.” Former Supreme Court President Dorit Beinisch also criticized the decision, describing it as a “dangerous process for society.” Netanyahu’s allies, on the other hand, defended the decision, considering it within the Prime Minister’s prerogatives. Finance Minister and far-right leader Bezalel Smotrich said, “In what normal country does one need a special reason to dismiss the head of an intelligence agency that failed miserably and led to the greatest disaster in the state’s history?” referring to the October 7 attack.
In turn, columnist Nahum Barnea warned that “a Prime Minister without constraints will rule as he pleases, and his failing government will follow.” He added, “The conflict between Netanyahu and Bar is dangerous, gradually bringing us closer to a form of civil war.” In the left-leaning newspaper Haaretz, columnist Amir Tibon wrote, “Israeli democracy is in grave danger. The people must decide whether to allow a coup of this kind, and if not, how far they will go to prevent it.”
On the other hand, Yair Golan, leader of the left-wing “Democrats” party, suggested that Bar’s dismissal might be linked to investigations conducted by the Shin Bet targeting, according to media reports, individuals close to Netanyahu on charges of “espionage and revealing state secrets.” Amid these developments, Israel appears to be on the brink of a political and constitutional crisis that could reshape the country’s political landscape, especially with ongoing internal and external tensions.
