The Supreme Court of Israel has yet to decide on the fate of Ronen Bar, chief of the internal security agency Shin Bet. But the leaders of the Knesset’s Jewish opposition parties are already accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of placing Israel in existential danger.

This came after Bar filed an affidavit with the Supreme Court on April 21 alleging that he had been sacked because of his refusal to meet expectations of loyalty to Netanyahu over the Supreme Court in the event of a constitutional crisis, the Times of Israel reported. 

In March, the Israeli government unanimously approved a motion to dismiss Bar from Shin Bet, citing "lack of trust" and required Bar to vacate his post by April 10.

In a ruling on April 8, the Supreme Court gave the Israeli cabinet and attorney general's office a deadline after the Jewish Passover holiday, which ended on April 20, in finding a solution over Bar’s dismissal. The court also said the Shin Bet chief would continue to perform his duties for now and that there was nothing to prevent interviews with candidates for the post, without announcing an appointment.

ALO READ: Israel's top court freezes dismissal of Shin Bet chief ‘until another decision’

The hearing on April 8 followed petitions filed by opposition and non-profit groups, challenging the legality of the government's decision, which the Supreme Court had already frozen, until a ruling was issued.

In his formal statement to the court, Bar insisted that he had been fired because of his refusal to meet Netanyahu’s expectations of loyalty, the decisions his agency made regarding investigations into the prime minister’s aides and Bar’s refusal to help Netanyahu avoid testifying in a criminal trial.        

Netanyahu is also facing three separate cases of corruption that include allegations of fraud, bribery and breach of trust. He has denied any wrongdoing. He is also wanted by the International Criminal Court, which has issued a warrant for his arrest on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, stemming from atrocities in Gaza, alongside former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Hamas’ leaders.

At least two of Netanyahu's aides are suspected of receiving payments from  Qatar, which hosts some leaders of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, to promote Doha's interests in Israel even though the two countries do not have diplomatic relations. Israel’s Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara had in February ordered a criminal investigation into the matter.

Bar also rejected allegations being floated by Netanyahu and others that he and Shin Bet had advance knowledge of Hamas’s surprise attack inside Israel on Oct 7, 2023 and that he failed to warn the prime minister, including the measures they had taken and the level of threat Israel was facing.

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Israeli opposition Leader Yair Lapid, Israeli national unity chairman Benny Gantz, Yisrael Beytenu chief Avigdor Liberman, and The Democrats head Yair Golan said in statement that Netanyahu’s conduct, as described by Bar, had put Israel’s future and existence in danger and harmed the nation’s security, Israeli media reported.

Lapid accused Netanyahu of allegedly using the Shin Bet to monitor Israeli citizens and dismantle democracy. Golan, a former deputy chief of staff of the Israeli army, demanded Netanyahu’s immediate resignation.

In a post on X, Golan described Bar’s affidavit as “no longer a warning — it is a serious indictment and an emergency alarm for Israeli democracy”.

In a post on X, Netanyahu said Bar's affidavit “is full of lies and reveals his failures”. He said Bar had “failed miserably in handling incitement against the political echelon, including calls for the assassination of the Prime Minister and incitement against ministers”.

ALSO READ: Israel's Netanyahu moves to dismiss chief of internal security service

In recent months, the Netanyahu government has been confronted with increasing domestic challenges, including calls to reach a deal to end fighting in Gaza and for the return of Israel hostages still being held by Hamas.

In an interview with a right-wing radio station on April 21, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said bringing the hostages home was important, but it was “not the most important goal”, drawing a backlash. Smotrich insisted that Israel should conquer and reoccupy the Gaza Strip for “total victory” against Hamas.

Gokhan Batu, an analyst on Israel studies at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies in Turkiye, told China Daily that the politicization of Israel’s judicial and security bureaucracy “is hardly a new debate”.

“The recent attempt to dismiss Shin Bet head Bar is merely the latest episode in a broader, long-standing trend. In fact, this can be viewed as part of a much larger and more deliberate strategy. It extends from the police force to the Israeli military and now encompasses the intelligence establishment.”

Batu noted that since early 2023, Israel has been plunged into a state of internal turmoil and faced waves of protest triggered by the Netanyahu government’s controversial judicial overhaul initiative. He said the events of Oct 7 then ignited what could be described as a parallel social firestorm, opening yet another front of crisis within Israeli society.

READ MORE: Ruckus in Israeli court as hearings begin on Netanyahu bid to sack spy chief

“Although the Shin Bet has institutionally accepted its share of the failure surrounding Oct 7, Bar’s struggle is not about preserving his position. Rather, he contends that his agency is being politicized and exploited, in breach of democratic principles,” said Batu.

“This brings us to a crucial question: Is it merely a coincidence that all branches capable of holding Netanyahu accountable — the judiciary, the police, and the domestic intelligence service — are simultaneously experiencing attempts at political takeover and institutional complaints from their top officials about growing politicization?”

Contact the writers jan@chinadailyapac.com