Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the Director of the internal intelligence agency Shin Bet (Shabak), Ronen Bar, will be dismissed despite a court order to freeze the decision. The Israeli government had approved the removal of the internal intelligence chief at Netanyahu’s request, but the High Court had halted this decision.

In a video message, Netanyahu stated that Shin Bet Director Bar would not remain in office. Netanyahu, who said, “Ronen Bar will not stay at the helm of Shin Bet, there will be no civil war,” claimed that Israel would remain “a democratic state.” The HIGH COURT HAD FROZEN THE DECISION Netanyahu had informed Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar that the government would remove him from office this week after a meeting. Netanyahu expressed his lack of trust in Bar, justifying the removal decision with ongoing and escalating distrust over time, while Bar accused Netanyahu of acting “personally.” Israeli Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara had stated that the Prime Minister could not dismiss Shin Bet Director Bar arbitrarily.

The Israeli government had approved Bar’s dismissal, stating that he would continue in his position until April 10th or until a replacement was appointed. The Israeli High Court had frozen Netanyahu’s decision to dismiss Bar until the hearing on objections related to the matter, which would be conducted by April 8th at the latest. Netanyahu’s decision to dismiss Bar had sparked heated debates in Israeli politics, leading to mass protest rallies across Israel in response to opposition calls.