As Bibi tries to can his Shin Bet chief, the Left wants to show who's boss
Which political faction wields more influence in Israel, the right or the left?
Will Israel’s contentious and perpetually polarized political system address systemic imbalances to implement long-awaited reforms? Or will divisiveness lead to the disintegration of a system in which peaceful coexistence has been rare?
We are about to find answers to these and other questions, now that the Netanyahu cabinet has voted unanimously to dismiss the head of the Shin Bet and the attorney general before the end of their terms, citing a lack of confidence and trust. Israeli law authorizes the cabinet to take this action; however, the High Court and attorney general maintain that they have the right to review and potentially reverse the firings if they are found to be primarily motivated by political or personal reasons.
The cabinet voted to terminate Ronen Bar, head of the Shin Bet, the body responsible for internal security. This includes gathering and analyzing intelligence and promptly relaying that information to the prime minister. Netanyahu and Bar have publicly traded accusations. Bibi claims Bar failed to alert him about Hamas’s military movements on the night of October 7, 2023. Bibi was also furious at Bar’s performance as chief hostage negotiator, claiming that Bar ignored Netanyahu’s guidance and leaked information on the talks to the media.
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