Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar was on Sunday the target of a media campaign payed for by National Security Minister Itamar Be-Gvir's Otzma Yehudit party. In the ad, Bar was blamed for the failings that led to the October 7 Hamas massacre and was accused of bringing the next calamity onto Israel in a cease-fire and hostage exchange deal.
Ben-Gvir last week, walked out of a cabinet meeting after Bar wrote in a letter addressed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the members of the cabinet, warning that the violence of West Bank settlers was a danger to Israel.
According to a report, Bar claimed that Ben-Gvir's approach would "lead to widespread bloodshed and fundamentally change the character of the State of Israel," stressing that "a cross-ministerial effort is needed to eradicate this phenomenon. I am convinced this must be one of the government's central objectives—before it’s too late. This phenomenon poses a significant risk to regional security." He also warned of potential "revenge attacks."
In a cabinet meeting on Sunday, hours after Israel launched a pre-emptive strike on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, and hundreds of missiles and drones targeted Israel, some ministers spoke out against Ben-Gvir's attacks on Bar in the middle of a war.
"I was shocked to open the newspaper this morning and see you using state funds to attack the head of the Shin Bet," Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said. His position was echoed by Education Minister Yoav Kisch who said "this is outrageous; it’s inappropriate, especially during a war."
As ministers spoke against and in favor of Ben-Gvir's campaign, Netanyahu did not intervene until he was asked to do so by Interior Minister Moshe Arbel from the ultra-Orthodox Shas party.
"Is Bar not head of the same security agency you have been praising today?" he asked. Then Netanyahu said criticism of Bar was allowed but must be done appropriately.
Today we must all be united. the enemy sees our division and our unity fragmented. We must show it that we are united as one against evil," he said.
In response to the attacks on Bar, 169 former senior defense officials, and members of the "Defensive Shield" forum, sent a letter of support to the Shin Bet chief.
"Under your leadership, the Shin Bet is facing numerous challenges, particularly the fight against terrorism," they wrote. "Unfortunately, the service has recently had to contend with Jewish terrorism as well. We want to offer our support to you and all Shin Bet employees in the face of the wild and crude attacks by ministers whose Kahane-inspired legacy is influencing Israeli government decisions. Especially now, when the Shin Bet, IDF, Mossad, and other security agencies are engaged in daily combat.
"Today, Shin Bet employees woke up to a smear campaign against them, funded by public money. We assert that attempts to weaken the security establishment and intimidate its leaders from expressing professional opinions will erode Israel and harm its security."