Israeli Spy Chief Accuses Netanyahu of Misusing Intelligence Agency for Personal Agenda

JERUSALEM – April 21 – A dramatic rift has emerged at the highest levels of Israeli power as Ronen Bar, the head of Israel's Shin Bet (domestic intelligence agency), publicly accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of attempting to fire him for refusing to carry out politically motivated orders.

In a powerful affidavit submitted to Israel's Supreme Court, Bar claimed that Netanyahu tried to dismiss him not for professional misconduct, but because Bar refused to use the intelligence agency to spy on anti-government protesters and interfere with Netanyahu’s ongoing corruption trial.

Bar said the demands from Netanyahu crossed ethical and legal boundaries — including a request to block the prime minister from testifying in court and to act against demonstrators critical of the government. These requests, he said, signaled a dangerous shift where loyalty to the country was being replaced with loyalty to the man in power.

The Prime Minister’s Office swiftly responded, calling Bar’s claims “full of lies,” and doubling down on the argument that Bar should be dismissed for what they described as intelligence failures — particularly the Shin Bet’s inability to prevent the October 7 Hamas attack that led to the deadliest day in Israel's history.

However, Bar pushed back, stating that efforts to remove him only gained momentum long after the attack. He pointed to multiple sensitive investigations conducted between November 2024 and February 2025, including probes into leaked military documents and possible financial ties between Netanyahu's aides and Qatar, sometimes referred to in Israeli media as "Qatargate."

Bar also confirmed that he refused to comply with security requests that he believed were aimed at protecting Netanyahu from legal consequences in his corruption case. The prime minister, who began testifying in December, denies any wrongdoing and maintains that the government never made such demands.

This legal and political showdown has further ignited fears among critics that Netanyahu’s administration is systematically eroding democratic institutions in Israel. Civil society watchdogs and opposition lawmakers have decried the attempted dismissal of Bar, arguing it violates due process and is riddled with conflicts of interest.

Bar acknowledged Shin Bet’s shortcomings regarding October 7 but made it clear that accountability should not mean blind obedience. He also stated his intention to resign before the end of his term — but not under the current controversial circumstances.

The Supreme Court has not yet issued a ruling after hearing arguments from all sides on April 8.