Ronen Bar and Benjamin Netanyahu/Photo: Detaly
On Friday, Israel’s Supreme Court ruled to temporarily suspend the dismissal of General Security Service (Shabak) chief Ronen Barak. The decision was made amid a four-day protest movement that swept Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, Reuters reports.
Last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he had lost confidence in Ronen Barak and intended to dismiss him. In response, tens of thousands of Israelis took to the streets, condemning the decision as an attempt to weaken state security and democracy.
“I see the end of Israel as we knew it. These may be the last days of Israel as a democratic state,” said businessman Uri Arnin, who protested outside the prime minister’s residence in Jerusalem. “We are here to try to change this course, but the chances are slim,” he added.
The court’s decision states that the suspension is effective immediately and allows the court to consider the petitions filed against Bar’s dismissal. A decision on the case is due no later than 8 April.
One of the initiators of the petition was the Movement for Quality Governance, an anti-corruption NGO. Its founder, lawyer Eliad Shraga, said:
“It’s not just about Ronen Bara. It’s not even about the alleged ties between Netanyahu’s office and Qatar. This is about Israeli democracy and the rule of law.”
Bar has been heading Shabak since 2021 and has become a key negotiator for a ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages. After the Hamas terrorist attack on 7 October 2023, which was the worst security disaster in Israeli history, Bar announced his readiness to resign early, admitting part of the blame for the intelligence failure. However, this did not stop the prime minister from trying to fire him earlier.
The decision to dismiss him was approved by the government late on Thursday night, and the next day it was halted by the court. Opponents of the decision see it as an attempt at political interference in the work of the intelligence services, especially against the backdrop of the scandalous QatarGate investigation, which has been going on for several months. According to unofficial reports, the Shabak is investigating possible unofficial financial contacts between officials of Netanyahu’s office and Qatar.
Despite the massive protests, Netanyahu maintains political control thanks to his parliamentary majority and the support of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. On social network X, the prime minister wrote:
“There will be no civil war! The State of Israel is a state of law, and it is the government that decides who heads the Shabak.”
Political tensions are rising in Israel, as Bar’s release marks a new stage in the confrontation between the government, the public and independent institutions trying to maintain a balance in times of war and internal instability.
