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Former Shin Bet Director Nadav Argaman was questioned by police on Thursday after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu filed a complaint against him over remarks made in an interview, in which Argaman suggested he might disclose details from private meetings with Netanyahu if he believed the prime minister was acting illegally.
Argaman was questioned at the central fraud investigation unit on suspicion of extortion by threats.
Last Friday, Netanyahu submitted what he described as an "urgent complaint" against Argaman, calling for an investigation following his comments on Channel 12 News. In a letter sent directly to Police Commissioner Daniel Levy—rather than through the standard police complaint process—Netanyahu wrote that an inquiry was necessary as "all red lines had been crossed."
Argaman’s remarks were made in the context of ongoing efforts to revive the government’s judicial overhaul plan and allegations related to "Qatar-Gate," a controversy involving claims of foreign influence in Israeli policymaking. He stated that while he had withheld certain information out of respect for the confidentiality between a Shin Bet chief and a prime minister, he would not hesitate to speak out if he believed Netanyahu was violating the law.
"For now, everything that happened in one-on-one meetings between the prime minister and me—I keep in that space," Argaman said. "It is absolutely clear that I have a great deal of knowledge, and I could use it, but I am not, for the reasons I mentioned. If I reach the conclusion that the prime minister is acting illegally, I will have no choice but to disclose everything I know and have kept to myself until now."
Before submitting his complaint, Netanyahu publicly responded to Argaman’s comments, also accusing current Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar of "extortion by threats."
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"A dangerous new red line has been crossed in Israeli democracy," Netanyahu said. "Never, in all of Israel’s history or in the history of democracies, has a former head of a secret security agency openly blackmailed a sitting prime minister on live television. This crime is part of an ongoing campaign of extortion through media leaks in recent days, orchestrated by current Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar."
In response, the Shin Bet dismissed Netanyahu’s accusations against Bar, calling them baseless.
"This is a serious allegation against the head of a national security agency in Israel," the agency said in a statement. "Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar is fully dedicated to security matters, the efforts to bring back hostages, and the protection of democracy. Any claim to the contrary is entirely unfounded."