The leaders of Israel, both the politicians and security echelon, should all be held accountable for failing to prevent the October 7 massacre, but what’s happening right now feels deeply unsettling.
Israel has once again erupted into internal discord as the government decided to resume the war against Hamas in Gaza, arguing that hostage negotiations had stalled, Hamas rejected concrete US-backed mediation proposals, and the terror group was rearming and preparing for another attack on Israeli civilians. Israel has renewed airstrikes in Gaza, targeting Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad leadership, terrorist cells, launch sites, weapons stockpiles, and military infrastructure.
While opinions remain divided on whether this was the right move – especially given the uncertainty surrounding the fate of the hostages – Israelis have also returned to the streets, protesting what they see as a violation of Israel’s democratic values and an abuse of power by the leadership.
On March 16, 2025, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu informed Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) chief Ronen Bar of his intention to propose Bar’s dismissal, citing a “continued lack of trust.”
Setting a new precedent
The Shin Bet is Israel’s internal security agency and is primarily responsible for counterterrorism activities in Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. The Israeli cabinet voted unanimously to approve Bar’s dismissal on March 21, 2025, marking the first time that a Shin Bet chief has been fired during their term.
Bar, appointed in 2021 for a five-year term, was expected to serve until 2026. While the government legally holds the power to terminate his tenure, such an action remains unprecedented.
The prime minister claims he has lost faith in Bar after the Hamas attack, criticizing his approach as “soft” and asserting that Bar is “not the right person to rehabilitate the organization.” Reports indicate that Bar will conclude his duties on April 10 or once a successor is appointed.
The decision has sparked widespread outrage and protests, with critics accusing Netanyahu of undermining Israel’s state institutions. The controversy is heightened by the Shin Bet’s ongoing Qatargate investigation – examining alleged improper ties between the Prime Minister’s Office and the Qatari government, including claims that Qatar funneled payments to Netanyahu’s close aides.
Many now question whether Bar’s dismissal is a strategic move to derail the investigation and deflect blame from Netanyahu’s government. The prime minister denies this, asserting that the decision to fire Bar was made before news of the investigation broke and insisting that the Qatargate investigation was launched to prevent Bar’s removal. Like so many complex matters, multiple truths coexist.
The first is that Ronen Bar led the Shin Bet during one of Israel’s worst security failures, the October 7 Hamas attack that killed over 1,200 people and saw 250 taken hostage. For this generation of Israelis, trust in security leadership has been shattered.
Bar, Netanyahu, his government, and every senior figure in Israel’s security apparatus must answer for this catastrophic failure. Many argue that Bar’s dismissal is a necessary step to restore public confidence and overhaul the agency, ensuring such a tragedy never happens again.
At the same time, Bar’s removal – particularly given his role in the Qatargate probe – raises grave concerns about political interference. Critics fear the timing suggests an effort to silence Bar and stifle the investigation, prioritizing political survival over national security.
This fuels the perception that the prime minister is exploiting his authority to protect himself from scrutiny, setting a dangerous precedent where security leaders are punished for investigating the government, weakening the vital checks and balances that safeguard Israeli democracy.
Israelis value a strong, independent security establishment – especially after October 7. While Bar bears responsibility for that failure, many believe the entire government, including Netanyahu, must face equal accountability. Dismissing Bar without a full, transparent inquiry into the broader leadership failures shifts the blame onto the security services, letting political leaders off the hook.
If Bar’s firing is truly about October 7, then accountability must apply across the board to both security and political leaders alike. At a time when Israel faces unprecedented external threats and internal fractures, the country cannot afford leadership driven by self-preservation rather than national security.
The truth – whatever it may be – must come to light.
The writer is a co-founder and CEO of Social Lite Creative, a digital marketing firm that specializes in geopolitics.