Fri Mar 21 01:32:30 UTC 2025: **Israel’s Shin Bet Chief Dismissed Amidst Post-Hamas Attack Fallout**
JERUSALEM (March 21, 2025) – Ronen Bar, head of Israel’s domestic intelligence agency Shin Bet, was dismissed on Friday by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The dismissal, approved unanimously by the government, cited an “ongoing lack of trust.” Mr. Bar, whose five-year term was not due to expire until next year, was appointed by a previous government.
Tensions between Mr. Bar and Mr. Netanyahu existed even before the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, particularly regarding controversial judicial reforms. These tensions intensified following the release of a Shin Bet internal report on March 4th, which acknowledged the agency’s failure to prevent the attack, attributing it partly to a “policy of quiet” that allowed Hamas’ military buildup. Mr. Bar had previously indicated his intention to resign before the end of his term, accepting responsibility for the intelligence failure. The dismissal comes amidst the ongoing aftermath of the Gaza war sparked by the Hamas attack.
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