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Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar on Monday submitted his sworn affidavit to the Supreme Court in response to the efforts by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to fire him. It contained a public letter and a second part that remains confidential. Bar told the court that he would be stepping down and would announce the timing soon.
Prime Minister's Office (PMO) issued a statement soon after, claiming Bar was teling lies and submitted a "false affidavit."
"The Prime Minister spoke to me repeatedly about his expectation that the Shin Bet take action against civilians involved in protests against the government. I was told to provide details about the identity of civilians, activists in the protest movement, who had been following elected officials who were subject to Shin Bet security details," Bar said in his affidavit. "The expectation that I would surveil 'funders of the protests' was made clear to me. It was also made clear, in discussions on the protests, that if there was a constitutional crisis, I was to obey the prime minister and not the Supreme Court." Bar noted that the full details of the matter would be provided as part of the classified affidavit.
Bar said he had defined criteria for subversion and covert activity with a potential for violence that would require Shin Bet's involvement. "In matters that could have crossed the line, we consulted the attorney-general to ensure that Shin Bet's authority was not misused," he said.
The prime minister's requests to act contrary to those criteria were refused, Bar said. "In quite a few cases, he requested to discuss those matters after meetings had ended and after he told his military aide and the secretary who was recording the meetings to leave the room, with the clear aim that his words would not be recorded," he added.
Bar wrote that he was submitting the affidavit out of his duty to the citizens of Israel and his grave concern for the ability of future heads of the Shin Bet to preserve the security agency's professionalism and independence according to the its legal purpose only, despite pressure that could be put on the future head of the agency so that he or she could act without being under threat of inappropriate dismissal.
Shin Bet must remain professional
"I am submitting this affidavit despite the heavy cost to the agency and to myself, to ensure the professionalism of the Shin Bet and my predecessor and his or her ability to refuse to carry out invalid instructions and for your honors to be able to rule in the matter based on the full facts," Bar wrote.
He said that although he was not aware of the reasons for his dismissal, the string of events leading to it led to the conclusion that they were not of a professional nature, but rather the expectation of personal loyalty on the part of the prime minister.
"This led, in my view, to a succession of actions taken by the prime minister that were taken along with a campaign against me and against the Shin Bet on social media," he said. "I must note here that, since the start of the war and until November 2024, the Shin Bet received praise from the prime minister, both in public events and in working sessions, including the extraction of hostages in Gaza and the targeted killings of terror leaders in Gaza, Lebanon, the West Bank and more."
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu testifies in his criminal trial for corruption
(Photo: Moti Kimchi)
Bar said Netanyahu, who was testifying in his criminal trial for corruption while he was submitting his letter, had asked that the Shin Bet chief submit an opinion to the Jerusalem District Court claiming that the prime minister cannot testify in his defense. "An effort was made to coerce me to accept an allegedly professional opinion, formulated by the prime minister or someone on his behalf, that I was instructed to present as the position of the head of Shin Bet," he said.
There were serious reasons to suspect damage to national security and the hostage release negotiations as a risk that Hamas would be strengthened while Israeli relations with Egypt would be damaged, by the alleged leaks of classified documents and the possible involvement of close aides of the prime minister with Qatar, Bar said.
Qatargate investigation
Bar also addressed the investigation into the Qatargate scandal. "Let me be clear. Even the slightest suspicion that persons employed by a country that supports Hamas are in the inner sanctum of Israel's decision making and may be conducting influence campaigns – demands an investigation, certainly while that country is mediating in the negotiations between Israel and Hamas," Bar wrote.
"It is the job of the head of Shin Bet in such sensitive inquiries him to find the truth. Dismissing the Shin Bet chief while this investigation was underway carries a chilling message for the agency and other investigative and law enforcement bodies. This is when serious suspicions arise regarding severe harm to national security. The incitement that has accompanied the investigations, against me and all those tasked with protecting state secrets, demonstrates the connection between the investigations and the timing of my dismissal."
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Bar also wrote that he was surprised by his removal from the team negotiating the release of hostages ahead of phase 2 of the agreement with Hamas because all of the people involved, including the prime minister and his staff, were aware of the critical role of the Shin Bet in securing the deal and the harm that removing him at that juncture could do to achieving another agreement. "My view is that there was another motive to my removal," he wrote.
Failings of October 7
Bar said the conspiracy theories that claimed the Shin Bet had advanced knowledge of Hamas's planned massacre were a lie and incitement against him and the organization. He confirmed reports that in July 2023, he had told Netanyahu that he was committed to presenting him with the serious security risk, which was an "alert ahead of war."
"This was an unprecedented and unusual statement, when it is made by the Shin Bet chief," he said, adding that the security agency had woken everybody up the night before the massacre after receiving unusual and inconclusive indications but conceded that the level of the alert was mistaken and a failure of the Shin Bet.
"With much pain, I will stress that no none estimated such an attack would take place, certainly not at that time. The briefing of the prime minister was part of a string of instructions given at the end of consultations and was carried out immediately during the night. The actions taken in the Shin Bet did not lead the security system to thwart the murderous attack that had been planned meticulously over many years," he said. The Shin Bet carried out a comprehensive inquiry so that such a disaster is not repeated.
Responding to Netanyahu's claim that he had lost confidence in the Shin Bet chief, Bar said it was made after he was asked to supply the prime minister with an excuse to avoid testifying in his criminal trial and his public call for a national commission of inquiry into the failings that led to the Hamas massacre. Bar said the decision to fire him came after the Shin Bet probe found the government also responsible for the massacre.
"It is not a coincidence that there have been several versions released by the government about when the crisis in trust began," he said. "Some focus on recent months, while some say it was as early as October 7. There was even the incredible claim that Netanyahu had lost faith in me before then, although I was never told as much until I was advised that I would be dismissed.
Among reasons for the lack of trust, Bar noted the fact that the Shin Bet inquiry into the Oct. 7 massacre included a letter to the prime minister, explaining how Hamas built its military force in full view of Israel, with funding from Qatar and as Israel conducted a defensive policy. The letter also included the need for a national commission of inquiry to investigate all aspects of the failures. Bar also noted the investigation launched into the leaking of classified documents stolen from the IDF.