The head of Israel’s domestic intelligence service, Ronen Bar, will be stepping down on June 15th.
Israel’s domestic intelligence service chief, Ronen Bar, has announced his resignation and is set to leave his position on June 15th, as reported by Israeli media late on Monday. This decision comes following a six-week period during which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attempted to remove the security chief.
The Shin Bet, responsible for counter-terrorism investigations, has become embroiled in a political conflict involving Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition government and a range of critics, including members of the security establishment and families of hostages in Gaza.
In March, Netanyahu expressed a lack of confidence in Bar and emphasized the importance of trust in the head of the domestic security service, particularly during times of conflict. Subsequently, the Supreme Court temporarily halted the government’s attempt to dismiss Bar, who alleged that Netanyahu sought his removal after he refused certain requests, such as monitoring Israeli protesters and interfering with the leader’s corruption trial.
In response to the allegations, Netanyahu accused Bar of dishonesty.