Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar submits affidavit to Israel’s High Court alleging government misconduct

Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar submitted an affidavit to the High Court of Justice today (Monday) in response to calls for his dismissal, in which he leveled serious accusations against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government. Bar’s dramatic affidavit made waves within and beyond the political system and drew particularly strong reactions.

The head of the Democratic Party, Yair Golan, called Bar’s affidavit “a severe indictment and an emergency warning for Israeli democracy,” pointed an accusing finger at Netanyahu, and expressed support for the Shin Bet chief: “He (Netanyahu) is a direct threat to Israel’s security and to the very existence of the state as we have known it. I stand with Ronen Bar for his steadfastness and loyalty to the country.”

The Movement for Quality Government in Israel stated that Bar’s accusations prove that “Netanyahu is unfit” to serve as prime minister and called for the full affidavits to be released to the public. “The affidavit contains extremely serious revelations about attempts by the Prime Minister and his office to use the Shin Bet for improper purposes,” said movement chair Eliad Shraga.

Likud MK Moshe Saada also addressed Bar’s strong affidavit and said that Bar is suffering from “moral confusion.” In an interview with Liat Regev on Kan Reshet Bet’s program 'Bachatzi Hayom', Saada added, “The head of a security agency does not understand that he is subordinate to the government. He is confused – he is not a politician. He is fighting a rear-guard battle, and in the end, he will no longer be in the service in two or three weeks, and by not announcing a date for his resignation, he is deepening the societal rift. He has the right to say what he wants.”

“Qatargate,” October 7, and unlawful requests: Highlights from Bar’s affidavit

In the affidavit published today, Ronen Bar claimed that the Prime Minister had requested the use of Shin Bet tools against leaders of the protests against the government, even in cases where, according to him, there was no clandestine aspect or threat of violence. He stated that the Prime Minister instructed that “funders of the protests” be monitored. He added that requests to use Shin Bet capabilities against civilians came at the end of work meetings, after Netanyahu had asked the military secretary and the typist operating the recording device to leave the room so that the conversation would not be documented.

According to Bar, there was also an attempt to pressure him into presenting a professional opinion – drafted by the Prime Minister or someone on his behalf – stating that he could not testify in Netanyahu’s trial for security reasons. “I was asked to present it as a position paper from the head of the Shin Bet,” he noted. Bar also addressed this issue in his classified affidavit.

Regarding the sensitive investigations, documents, and the “Qatargate” affair, Bar noted that there were serious suspicions of significant harm to state security, particularly in the second investigation, which concerned damage to negotiations for the release of hostages and to relations between Israel and Egypt.

Bar also addressed claims that the Shin Bet had prior information about the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre, writing that these are “false accusations and amount to nothing less than organized incitement against me and against the organization.”