Politics Court in Israel deliberates on dismissal of intelligence chief
Israel's Supreme Court has begun an eagerly awaited deliberation on the controversial dismissal of domestic intelligence chief Ronen Bar. The court had suspended the dismissal of the Shin Bet chief with a temporary injunction.
08.04.2025, 10:09
SDA
Now the judges in Jerusalem have to deal with eight lawsuits against the dismissal. A decision by the court is expected this week.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had justified the move with a "lack of trust" in the head of the secret service. However, critics accuse him of having a conflict of interest in the matter. Bar's dismissal sparked mass protests.
Among other things, the Shin Bet is investigating confidants of Netanyahu for possible illegal relations with the Arab Gulf state of Qatar. Alongside Egypt and the USA, the emirate is one of the negotiators in the indirect talks with the Islamist Hamas, but is also considered a supporter of the terrorist organization.
Relations between Netanyahu and Bar have long been considered strained. In an investigation by the secret service into the mistakes that made the massacre in Israel on October 7, 2023 possible, Netanyahu's role was also critically examined. The terrorist attack triggered the war in the Gaza Strip.
