Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Sunday that he intends to fire Ronen Bar, the director of the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), 18 months before his term expires.
The decision comes amid Bar’s investigation into Netanyahu aides who were allegedly involved in Qatargate, a scandal in which they were reportedly paid by Qatar while managing hostage negotiations.
Bar responded by partially accepting Netanyahu’s decision. He stated that he would resign early, but only after his successor was ready to take over and further progress was made regarding returning Israeli hostages and the Qatargate investigation.
He argued that since he had already committed to stepping down due to his agency’s failure to prevent Hamas’s October 7 invasion, Netanyahu’s push to fire him was unnecessary and politically motivated.
The move marked an unprecedented standoff between the country’s political leadership and its top security agency, raising the possibility of a constitutional crisis.
If Bar does refuse to step down, Netanyahu may need Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara or the High Court of Justice to intervene, and both could resist dismissing Bar before the Qatargate investigation concludes.
Bar also criticized Netanyahu’s handling of the situation, saying that if he submitted to the prime minister’s “loyalty test,” he would fail at his duty to serve as a public servant, uphold the law, and protect the interests of national security.
His stance contrasted with that of former IDF chief of staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi, who ultimately complied with Netanyahu’s request to resign on March 5 after a brief delay.
The Prime Minister’s Office defended the decision, stating that appointing a Shin Bet chief was within the government’s authority. While this is generally true, Qatargate complicates matters.
Adding to the controversy, Bar’s predecessor, Nadav Argaman, recently said that if Netanyahu acted unlawfully, he would disclose sensitive information. Argaman’s remarks coincided with renewed efforts to revive the judicial reform, prompting Netanyahu to accuse Bar and Argaman of behaving like “mafia” men seeking to unseat him.
Netanyahu’s move sparked continued political divisions.
MK Itamar Ben-Gvir (Otzma Yehudit) praised it as a necessary step against Israel’s “deep state,” comparing it to US President Donald Trump’s battles against US intelligence agencies.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich argued that Bar should have resigned after the October 7 failures, while Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi labeled the director a “dictator” undermining Israel’s security.
Opposition leaders condemned the move.
Former defense minister Benny Gantz (National Unity) said Netanyahu was prioritizing personal politics over national security.
MK Gadi Eisenkot accused him of undermining democracy to protect his coalition.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid claimed Netanyahu was firing Bar to obstruct the Qatargate investigation, warning that it endangered ongoing hostage negotiations.
The Democrats chairman, Yair Golan, called it a “declaration of war on Israeli democracy” and urged mass protests.
Israel is facing one of the most challenging security environments in its history. The country needs strong, competent leadership in both government and security agencies. Instead, the public is witnessing a power struggle that places personal and political considerations above national interests.
Netanyahu’s decision to fire Bar is unprecedented – the first time in Israel’s history that a Shin Bet chief has been dismissed. The timing – while the agency investigates Netanyahu’s close aides in the Qatargate scandal – raises serious concerns.
It is difficult to separate this from a politically motivated move, especially given Netanyahu’s pattern of deflecting blame for the October 7 failures. If a leadership transition was truly necessary, it should have been handled months ago, not now, when his own political survival is at stake.
That said, Bar’s insistence on dictating his own departure terms is problematic. While his argument that Israel must first secure its hostages and complete the Qatargate probe is valid, refusing a prime minister’s directive sets a troubling precedent. A Shin Bet chief must not become a political actor.
However, the core of this crisis is Netanyahu’s leadership. His attempt to remove a key security figure while avoiding scrutiny regarding his own shortcomings is reckless. The dismissal of a Shin Bet chief should be based on professional considerations, not political ones.
Internal divisiveness is exactly what led to the failures of October 7. While Israelis fought among themselves, our enemies seized the opportunity to strike. Now, the focus must be on winning this war, bringing our hostages home, and restoring our national security.
Netanyahu must stop treating security institutions as political pawns, and Bar must remember that his role is to serve the state, not his personal timeline. The country’s future depends on unity and responsibility – qualities sorely missing from its leadership today.