Taking on the 'deep state' or paving the way to autocracy? Why PM Netanyahu wants to fire Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar
Latest clash threatens to tear open deep-lying political rifts
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to dismiss the director of the domestic intelligence agency Shin Bet, Ronen Bar, and the fierce opposition to it, threatens to plunge Israel back into the days of daily mass protests and ominous warnings of civil war. So, what happened?
After months of rising tensions behind the scenes, Netanyahu announced on Sunday evening his intention to fire Bar.
The intelligence chief responded by repudiating the prime minister's rationale for the move, the personal lack of trust, and said he intended to continue in his position.
Shortly afterward, Shin Bet sources clarified that if the dismissal process proceeded, Bar would accept it and retire.
Partisan politics as usual
What followed was as predictable as lamentable, as both sides of the political spectrum fanned the flames of hatred and panic.
Opposition leaders accused Netanyahu of trying to halt ongoing investigations against close aides, deflect blame for Oct. 7 security failures and undermining the rule of law and democracy, thus paving the way to autocratic rule.
For those opposed to Netanyahu, the move is the latest in a series of dismissals of “gatekeepers” meant to limit his power according to the law. Among others, they cite the dismissals of former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and IDF Chief Herzi Halevi, as well as Netanyahu's current attempt to fire Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara.
Together with the judicial reforms, this side argues that Bar’s dismissal is just another move in a broader effort to increase the power of the government while dismantling checks and balances, with the ultimate goal of granting Netanyahu near-autocratic authority.
Frequently cited examples include similar actions by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and former U.S. President Donald Trump, both close allies of Netanyahu.
In addition, Netanyahu would be the only high-ranking official directly responsible for the failures on Oct. 7 who has neither taken responsibility nor resigned or been fired.
On the other side, coalition members defended the prime minister and praised the move as a strike against the “deep state,” which they have long alleged has been working to harm and undermine the right-wing government.
Regarding the dismissal of Bar, the coalition pointed out that Netanyahu, in principle, has the legal right to fire Shin Bet directors and to nominate their successors.
This is especially true when there is no basic interpersonal trust between the leaders, even more so during a time of war, they argue.
More broadly, this camp argues that the unelected class of bureaucrats, lawyers, and security personnel has been obstructing the government from the beginning.
They also view the judicial reforms as a crucial step in limiting the power of the judiciary over the policy of the democratically-elected government and its representatives.
Similar to the judicial world, right-wingers have long argued that closed “cliques” also dominate the security realm and that they keep key positions in the hands of their left-leaning friends.
They argue that nearly every single one of the recent IDF chiefs, generals, as well as former Shin Bet directors, has revealed left-leaning political views after retirement, often becoming among the most radical opponents of Netanyahu.
Background to the tensions
Unlike most of his predecessors in recent years, Bar was not appointed by Netanyahu but by then-Prime Minister Naftali Bennett in 2021.
Netanyahu had reportedly intended to nominate former National Security Advisor Meir Ben Shabbat, but his election loss that year prevented him from doing so.
Bar served in the IDF’s elite commando unit Sayeret Matkal, which is also Netanyahu’s old military unit. He went on to rise through the ranks of the Shin Bet’s combat operations branch and eventually became special operations chief and overall deputy, before being nominated as director.
When Netanyahu’s government began pursuing judicial reforms in 2023, Bar did not take a vocal stance against it. However, media reports suggest he actively worked to create a unity government over concerns that Israel’s enemies would see the growing internal rift as an opportunity to strike.
While this move now appears prescient in hindsight, the move also angered Netanyahu, as Bar overstepped his bounds by meddling in politics. Since Oct. 7, 2023, Netanyahu has blamed the security services without clearly taking responsibility for his own failures.
In addition, Bar and Netanyahu increasingly clashed over Israel’s policy regarding hostage deal talks, until Bar was replaced by his deputy on the negotiating team.
Finally, Netanyahu pushed Bar to resign but he refused, leading to the showdown set for this Wednesday, when the government is set to vote on the dismissal proposal.
Bar’s stint as director was supposed to last until October 2026 but now, it looks like he’ll be dismissed this week – or won’t he?
What will happen now?
In addition to mass protests, the move is expected to face several legal challenges.
Most of these are based on the fact that the Shin Bet is currently investigating close aides of Netanyahu, dubbed “Qatar-gate.”
The probe is under a broad gag order, and almost no details regarding the investigation and possible accusations are currently known.
As long as this probe continues, Netanyahu’s critics can argue that he is taking action while facing a conflict of interest.
Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, who coalition members are working to dismiss as well, replied to Netanyahu that Bar can’t be fired “until the factual and legal basis underlying your decision and your ability to address this issue now has been fully clarified.”
Two weeks ago, her deputy stated that firing Bar “requires an orderly process based solely on substantive reasons, supported by a solid and complete factual foundation, free of extraneous considerations, and compliant with legal provisions,” adding that the attorney general would have to be consulted beforehand – which Netanyahu did not do.
If the government goes ahead with the dismissal against the attorney general’s opposition, petitions could be filed with the Supreme Court, likely requesting an interim order to freeze the move.
According to Channel 12’s legal correspondent Yael Yaffe, several scenarios could follow. First, the justices could grant petitions filed before Wednesday and freeze the move to examine the legality of the dismissal.
Other options would be for the justices not to interfere with the dismissal but to hold an urgent meeting before the government chooses Bar's successor. It may also reject the petitions, arguing that all other steps, like petitions to the government itself, should be exhausted beforehand.
“The chances of the move being blocked depend on the timing of the petitions and the justices’ willingness to intervene, but given the legal opinions and precedents, there is a significant likelihood of judicial intervention, especially if the process is deemed tainted or unreasonable,” Yaffe wrote.
Hanan Lischinsky has a Master’s degree in Middle East & Israel studies from Heidelberg University in Germany, where he spent part of his childhood and youth. He finished High School in Jerusalem and served in the IDF’s Intelligence Corps. Hanan and his wife live near Jerusalem, and he joined ALL ISRAEL NEWS in August 2023.
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