Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to the Supreme Court regarding petitions against the dismissal of Shin Bet (Israel's internal security service) chief Ronen Bar.
اضافة اعلان
According to Maariv newspaper, Netanyahu’s response argues that any delay, even by one day, in firing Ronen Bar could lead to a catastrophic outcome.
Netanyahu claims that the petitions and Bar’s letter suggest that power belongs to the court, not the government, which would constitute “a complete coup against the system.”
In his response, Netanyahu stated, “These petitions are nothing more than an attempt to deprive the Israeli government, and thus the people who elected it, of its fundamental authority and duty to secure the State of Israel and its citizens.”
He added, “The petitioners are not seeking proper governance, but rather trying to overturn the system so that the judiciary takes over governance from the executive branch. This contradicts the Security Service Law, which places the Shin Bet under the government and transfers it to the judiciary.”
Netanyahu further argued, "This is not for legal reasons subject to adjudication, but driven by political competition and attempts to influence government decisions by parties that were not elected for this purpose."
He continued, "The petitioners are attempting to turn this esteemed court into an alternative government body, debating before it the abilities and merits of the current Shin Bet chief and the importance of his continued position. This is happening in the absence of the Shin Bet chief, who chose not to approach this esteemed court, and also chose not to attend the government meeting called to respond to the proposed dismissal."
Netanyahu also stated, “The government believes that the esteemed court is not the appropriate body to decide who will head the Shin Bet. It does not have the authority, the tools, or the responsibility for these decisions, which rest entirely with the public through its elected officials.”
On March 16, Netanyahu decided to dismiss Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, which sparked a deep internal crisis in Israel. The Israeli government approved Bar’s dismissal on March 20, which was set to take effect on April 10, amidst widespread protests.
Opposition parties filed petitions with the Israeli Supreme Court against the decision, prompting the court to freeze the dismissal until the petitions are heard.
The court decided to begin reviewing the petitions on April 8, but the government indicated that it might not implement the court's decision.
Last week, Netanyahu announced the appointment of former Navy commander Eli Sharbait as the new head of the Shin Bet, only to reverse this decision following internal criticism after it was revealed that Sharbait had participated in protests against the government earlier in 2023.
On Wednesday, Netanyahu declared his intention to appoint the Deputy Head of Shin Bet as the temporary head of the agency, replacing the dismissed Ronen Bar, until a permanent replacement is appointed.
