Israel’s spy chief, Ronen Bar, has claimed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to fire him for his refusal to commit illegal acts aimed at protecting the leader’s personal and political interests.
Bar, chief of Shin Bet, Israel’s domestic intelligence service, made the claims in an affidavit to the Supreme Court on Monday.
Netanyahu’s decision to dismiss Bar last month was suspended by the court pending an investigation.
The power tussle between both men has resulted in large protests, with citizens accusing the prime minister of endangering democracy.
Netanyahu said he would sack the spy chief due to a breakdown in trust, supposedly linked to Hamas’s attack in October 2023 that led to the Gaza war.
However, Bar has alleged that Netanyahu’s decision was motivated by a series of events between November 2024 and February 2025.
In the unclassified part of the court submission, Bar claimed Netanyahu had told him “on more than one occasion”; that he expected Shin Bet to take action against Israelis involved in anti-government demonstrations, “with a particular focus on monitoring the protests’ financial backers”;.
The Shin Bet head also said he had refused to sign off on a security request aimed at relieving Netanyahu from testifying at an ongoing corruption trial in which he faces charges of bribery, fraud and breach of public trust.
Netanyahu’s office has hit back, claiming Bar’s affidavit was “full of lies”;, and later responded to several of his claims, stating that he had “failed miserably”; when Hamas attacked Israel.
