Netanyahu ordered security service to spy on protestors – intel chief
Ronen Bar claims he was fired by Israel’s PM for not displaying unconditional loyalty
The head of Israel’s Shin Bet, its domestic intelligence agency, has accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of firing him for his refusal to carry out a number of illegal operations, including spying on domestic protestors.
Ronen Bar was formally sacked last month, with the official reason cited as a lack of trust and the spy chief’s alleged failure to prevent the October 2023 Hamas attack. It marked the first time in Israeli history that a domestic security chief was fired by the government. However, the Israeli Supreme Court has issued an injunction freezing the dismissal.
In a 31-page affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court on Monday, Bar dismissed the official reason, stating that it “does not lie in the professional realm but in a demand for personal loyalty” to Netanyahu.
He claimed that the Israeli prime minister wanted “to see the Shin Bet act against citizens involved in protest activity and demonstrations against the government,” with a special focus on monitoring “protest funders.”
According to Bar, he was also told to ignore court rulings in the event of a constitutional crisis and to obey the prime minister. On top on that, Bar claimed he was pressured to help Netanyahu, who faces corruption charges, avoid testifying in the case.
At the same time, the Shin Bet head acknowledged the agency’s failings ahead of the Israel-Hamas war and indicated he would resign before the end of his term.
https://www.rt.com/news/616111-netanyahu-ordered-spy-protestors/