The Israeli government submitted an official response Sunday morning to petitions against the dismissal of Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) Director Ronen Bar, warning that preventing his removal could cause “irreversible harm to the security of the state and the safety of its citizens and soldiers.”
A Breakdown in Trust Between the Government and the Shin Bet Chief
In its letter to the court, the government wrote: “Forcing the continued tenure of a person in a position of supreme importance—especially during wartime—is unacceptable and incompatible with the powers granted to a democratically elected government responsible for the nation’s security. Every additional day or night in this situation risks causing irreversible damage.”
The government emphasized that it has the full authority to decide on the termination of such high-ranking officials. Given the deep crisis of trust between the political leadership and Ronen Bar, the letter stated, “there is no viable way to continue working effectively to protect the state under these circumstances.”
The Continuation of Bar’s Tenure Is Inconceivable
The government further asserted: “It is simply inconceivable to force the continued service of someone in such a vital role during a national crisis. This contradicts the government’s mandate and could impair its ability to act.”
It also referred to the October 7th intelligence failure, stating that “as the Shin Bet chief has acknowledged, the failure of the night before October 7th leaves no reasonable justification for him to remain in office until the end of his term.”
Denial of Political Motives
Addressing claims that the dismissal is politically motivated or intended to interfere with an ongoing internal investigation, the government wrote:
“There is no basis to suggest that the decision stems from the Shin Bet investigation or would influence it. The investigation is being conducted independently by the Israel Police and is proceeding without interference.”
The response emphasized that the decision to remove Bar was unanimous, approved by the full cabinet, thereby invalidating claims of conflict of interest.
Limits of Judicial Authority
In its concluding remarks, the government also questioned the role of the judiciary in such matters: “The law cannot compel trust. Courts can prohibit actions, but they cannot force a person to place their confidence in another or evaluate their performance. Attempting to force the government to keep Bar in office will result in a situation where he remains Shin Bet director in name only—without the necessary trust to function effectively.”
The letter ends by reiterating: “Maintaining this current reality during wartime is irresponsible and unnecessarily endangers the country’s security with each passing day.”
