Israel's Supreme Court blocks Netanyahu's dismissal of Shin Bet Chief

Shafaq News / Israel’s Supreme Court issued an injunction on Friday preventing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from dismissing Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, pending a hearing on the matter by April 8.

The ruling came after Netanyahu’s cabinet formally approved Bar’s early dismissal on Thursday night, citing failures leading up to Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Netanyahu had announced his intention to remove Bar last week, saying in a video statement that their "ongoing distrust" had "grown over time."

Bar, who was appointed in October 2021 for a five-year term as head of Israel's domestic intelligence agency, would be the first Shin Bet director in history to be dismissed by the government.

His removal has sparked backlash, fueling mass demonstrations in Jerusalem, where more than 40,000 Israelis protested against both Netanyahu’s decision and Israel’s renewed military offensive in Gaza.

A letter from Netanyahu to cabinet members before Thursday's vote referenced a "persistent loss of professional and personal trust" with Bar, proposing his term end on April 20. The letter claimed trust had deteriorated further during the war, beyond the operational failures of October 7.

Bar has pushed back, calling the decision politically motivated. In a letter to the government, he argued that his dismissal was "steeped in extraneous considerations and a personal and institutional conflict of interest." He warned that removing him at this time could jeopardize national security and undermine an ongoing investigation into the events surrounding the October 7 attack.

Bar also claimed that since the war began, Netanyahu had barred him from private meetings with cabinet ministers—an order he suggested was illegal, alleging that Netanyahu’s decision to remove him from hostage negotiations in Gaza had harmed efforts to secure the release of captives.

Under the cabinet's decision, Bar’s term is set to end on April 10 or when a successor is appointed, whichever comes first. However, with the Supreme Court’s injunction in place, Netanyahu must now decide whether to comply with the ruling. His critics argue he may seek to override the decision.

The dispute over Bar’s dismissal comes as Israel resumes its military offensive in Gaza following the collapse of a months-long ceasefire. The Hamas-run health ministry says more than 48,500 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict.

More than 400 people were reportedly killed on the first night of renewed airstrikes earlier this week.

Negotiations between Israel and Hamas over extending the ceasefire stalled six weeks ago. Hamas had proposed releasing an American hostage and four bodies, but Israel rejected the offer and has since tightened restrictions on food, fuel, and medical supplies entering Gaza.