Netanyahu fires Shin Bet chief over unpreparedness for Hamas attack
What's the story
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has fired Ronen Bar, head of Shin Bet, the country's domestic intelligence agency.
In a cabinet meeting late Thursday night, Netanyahu stated that he had lost faith in Bar following Hamas's attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.
According to the PMO's office, Bar is "soft" and "not the right person to rehabilitate the organization."
This is the first time in Israeli history that the government has fired the head of its domestic security agency.
Tenure challenges
Bar's tenure was marred by tensions with Netanyahu
Bar's tenure—originally scheduled to conclude next year—was overshadowed by tensions with Netanyahu regarding judicial reforms and the October 7 attack.
Their relationship further soured after an internal Shin Bet report on the Hamas attack was released.
The report accepted the agency's failure in preventing the attack and noted that "a policy of quiet had enabled Hamas to undergo massive military buildup."
"If the Shin Bet had acted differently...the massacre would have been avoided," Bar wrote when the summation was released.
Investigation
Shin Bet is investigating Netanyahu's aides for alleged breaches
Shin Bet is also probing a number of Netanyahu's close aides for suspected violations of national security.
They allegedly leaked classified documents to foreign media and received funds from Qatar, which is a known financial backer of Hamas.
Netanyahu claimed that since replacing Bar another senior Shin Bet official, "the leaks have decreased dramatically, and through very successful negotiations we have managed to return the hostages."
Resignation hints
Bar hinted at resignation before his term ended
Bar had earlier hinted he might step down before his term was over, accepting responsibility for his agency's lapse in stopping the Hamas assault.
In a letter addressed to ministers, he said the decision to dismiss him was "entirely tainted by ... conflicts of interest" and "completely different, extraneous and fundamentally unacceptable motives."
Protests erupted against Bar's dismissal amid demonstrations against the resumption of fighting in Gaza.
Public response
Protests erupted against Bar's dismissal
The protests were fueled by anger over the decision to end a two-month-old ceasefire while 59 Israeli hostages remain in Palestinian territory.
According to a Channel 12 opinion poll published after the cabinet meeting, 51% of Israelis oppose Bar's removal, while 32% support it.
Forty-six percent believe they trust Bar more than Netanyahu, while 32% trust Netanyahu more than Bar.