Security service PM fights order halting his move to fire Shin Bet chief

Benjamin Netanyahu is locked in a fierce battle with Israel's judicial system after the supreme court blocked his attempt to fire the head of the Shin Bet domestic intelligence agency.

- Lorenzo Tondo

Amid protests against ministers' vote to sack Ronen Bar, the top court yesterday froze the decision, with the order remaining in place until the court can hear petitions filed by the opposition and an NGO against the dismissal of the chief of the Shin Bet.

Netanyahu said in a post on X that "the government of Israel will decide" who heads the domestic security agency. "The State of Israel is a state of law, and according to the law, the government of Israel decides who will be the head of the Shin Bet."

The Shin Bet has been investigating Netanyahu's close aides for alleged breaches of national security, including leaking classified documents to foreign media and allegedly taking money from Qatar, which is known to have given significant financial aid to Hamas.

In a letter made public on Thursday, Bar said his dismissal was motivated by Netanyahu's "personal interests". The security chief referred to the conclusions drawn by his agency's investigation into the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023, which said "a policy of quiet had enabled Hamas to undergo massive military buildup".