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ISRAEL AT WAR - DAY 532

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Last day set as April 10 as demonstrations rage in capital

L: Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar at Mount Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem on October 27, 2024. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90), R: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Knesset in Jerusalem on March 3, 2025. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

Cabinet fires Shin Bet chief; PM claims lack of trust in Bar, who calls move invalid

By Lazar Berman

In letter to ministers, Ronen Bar says Netanyahu intentionally sabotaged hostage deal, warns his ouster risks undermining investigation into Qatari influence in premier’s office

Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar attends a farewell ceremony in honor of then-police chief Kobi Shabtai (not pictured), at the National Police Academy in Beit Shemesh, on July 14, 2024. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

Full text: In letter to cabinet, Bar says his firing ‘entirely tainted by conflicts of interest’

Demonstrators protest against the decision of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to fire head of Shin Bet Ronen Bar, outside the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem, March 20, 2025. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

Live updates (closed)March 20: Gantz says firing of Bar a ‘mark of Cain’ on all ministers who back move

By Joshua Davidovich and ToI Staff

LiveUpdated 41min ago

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) and Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, on April 4, 2023. (Kobi Gideon/GPO/File)

‘Official,’ said to be PM, pushes conspiracy that Bar knew about Hamas attack but didn’t act

High Court petition filed against first ever dismissal of a Shin Bet chief * Poll says Israelis oppose spymaster’s firing by 51-32%; trust Ronen Bar more than Netanyahu by 46-32%

Ex-Shin Bet chief: PM has 'character and soul of a criminal'

Demonstrators outside the Prime Minister's Office as the cabinet meets on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to fire head of Shin Bet Ronen Bar in Jerusalem, March 20, 2025. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

‘War of survival’: Thousands rally in rain as cabinet meets to oust Shin Bet head

By Charlie Summers and ToI Staff

Police smash windows of cars blocking entrance to PM’s office while passengers inside; former Likud minister says Netanyahu has ‘brought destruction’ upon Israeli society

Police fire water cannons at protesters during demonstrations against the decision of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to fire Shin Bet head Ronen Bar, in Jerusalem, March 20, 2025 (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Jerusalem protests rage for 2nd day as cabinet set to vote to fire Shin Bet head Bar

By Charlie Summers, Sam Sokol and ToI Staff

Left: Shin Bet Chief Ronen Bar (Yonatan Sindel/Flash 90); Right: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (Dudu Bachar/POOL)

Defying AG, cabinet schedules Thursday night vote to fire Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar

By Jeremy Sharon, Lazar Berman and Jacob Magid

Israelis attending a protest march against the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu clash with police in Jerusalem, March 19, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Major protests in Jerusalem as Netanyahu seeks to fire Shin Bet chief, renews Gaza war

By Charlie Summers

L: Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar at Mount Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem on October 27, 2024. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90), R: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Knesset in Jerusalem on March 3, 2025. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

Cabinet fires Shin Bet chief; PM claims lack of trust in Bar, who calls move invalid

By Lazar Berman

In letter to ministers, Ronen Bar says Netanyahu intentionally sabotaged hostage deal, warns his ouster risks undermining investigation into Qatari influence in premier’s office

Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar attends a farewell ceremony in honor of then-police chief Kobi Shabtai (not pictured), at the National Police Academy in Beit Shemesh, on July 14, 2024. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

Full text: In letter to cabinet, Bar says his firing ‘entirely tainted by conflicts of interest’

Demonstrators protest against the decision of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to fire head of Shin Bet Ronen Bar, outside the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem, March 20, 2025. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

Live updates (closed)March 20: Gantz says firing of Bar a ‘mark of Cain’ on all ministers who back move

By Joshua Davidovich and ToI Staff

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) and Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, on April 4, 2023. (Kobi Gideon/GPO/File)

LiveUpdated 41min ago

‘Official,’ said to be PM, pushes conspiracy that Bar knew about Hamas attack but didn’t act

High Court petition filed against first ever dismissal of a Shin Bet chief * Poll says Israelis oppose spymaster’s firing by 51-32%; trust Ronen Bar more than Netanyahu by 46-32%

Demonstrators outside the Prime Minister's Office as the cabinet meets on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to fire head of Shin Bet Ronen Bar in Jerusalem, March 20, 2025. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

‘War of survival’: Thousands rally in rain as cabinet meets to oust Shin Bet head

By Charlie Summers and ToI Staff

Police smash windows of cars blocking entrance to PM’s office while passengers inside; former Likud minister says Netanyahu has ‘brought destruction’ upon Israeli society

Police fire water cannons at protesters during demonstrations against the decision of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to fire Shin Bet head Ronen Bar, in Jerusalem, March 20, 2025 (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Jerusalem protests rage for 2nd day as cabinet set to vote to fire Shin Bet head Bar

By Charlie Summers, Sam Sokol and ToI Staff

Left: Shin Bet Chief Ronen Bar (Yonatan Sindel/Flash 90); Right: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (Dudu Bachar/POOL)

Defying AG, cabinet schedules Thursday night vote to fire Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar

By Jeremy Sharon, Lazar Berman and Jacob Magid

Israelis attending a protest march against the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu clash with police in Jerusalem, March 19, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Major protests in Jerusalem as Netanyahu seeks to fire Shin Bet chief, renews Gaza war

By Charlie Summers

Eli Sharabi, a former hostage, speaks during a United Nations Security Council meeting recounting his time in Hamas captivity in Gaza on March 20, 2025 in New York City. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images/AFP)

Eli Sharabi tells UN Security Council: Hamas steals your aid while hostages starve

By Nava Freiberg

Released captive says Hamas guards laughed as they told him his brother was killed in captivity, describes being abandoned by international humanitarian organizations

Released hostage Eli Sharabi holds up a photo of his family as he speaks at the UN Security Council in New York on March 20, 2025. Sharabi’s wife Lianne and their daughters, Noiya, 16, and Yahel, 13, were killed by terrorists in their home’s safe room at Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7, 2023 (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images/AFP)

Full text: Freed hostage Eli Sharabi asks UN Security Council, ‘Where was the world?’

Families of Israelis held hostage in Gaza and supporters hold a press statement outside the Knesset in Jerusalem, March 18, 2025. (Yonatan SIndel/Flash90)

Hostages’ families fume as meeting on Gaza delayed so cabinet can vote on Bar’s ouster

By ToI Staff and Jacob Magid

President Isaac Herzog issues a video message on March 20, 2025. (Screenshot/ President’s Residence)

‘Deeply troubled’ Herzog pans government for ‘divisive’ policies amid war

By Lazar Berman and ToI Staff

President lambastes attacks on civil servants, calls for Oct. 7 probe, doesn’t mention PM by name, amid demonstrations against ouster of Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar

Op-ed: Day 530 of the warResumed war solves Netanyahu’s problems. But what of Israel’s?

By David Horovitz

Former Supreme Court president Aharon Barak in Jerusalem, December 8, 2019. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Ex-Supreme Court chief Aharon Barak says he fears Israel headed to civil war

‘The rift in the people is immense, with no effort made to heal it,’ jurist says, adding that if he were still chief justice, he would block PM’s dismissal of Shin Bet chief, AG

A car rams into an anti-government protester outside the Prime Minister's Residence, March 19, 2025. (Social media/X; used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)

Driver rams anti-government protester in Jerusalem, drags him for 50 meters

By Charlie Summers

Former Shin Bet chief Nadav Argaman in a television interview aired March 13, 2025. (Screen capture/Channel 12)

Ex-Shin Bet chief questioned on allegations he blackmailed Netanyahu in TV interview

Those we have lost

Stories of the civilians and soldiers who have fallen in the Israel-Hamas war

Those we have lost
Cpl. Ilay Azar, 18: Budding musician who was ‘a star in the making’

By ToI Staff
Those We Have Lost
Dor Avitan, 26: Singer-songwriter remembered through his music

By ToI Staff
Those We Have Lost
Ayala, 73, Liel & Yannai Hetzroni, 12: Great aunt and twins she raised

By ToI Staff
Those we have lost
Lior Atun, 24: Dog whisperer with a ‘sensitive and special heart’

By ToI Staff
Those We Have Lost
Cpl. Shirat Yam Amar, 18: Observation soldier with fashion design dreams

By ToI Staff
Those We Have Lost
Sivan Shaarbany, 21: Curly-haired partygoer who loved salt & pepper

By ToI Staff
Those we have lost
Chen Ben Avi, 23: Dreamed of traveling the world

By ToI Staff
Those we have lost
Staff Sgt. Tomer Mizrahi, 21: Nahal soldier’s song lives on in memory

By ToI Staff
Those we have lost
Elia Iluz, 27: Father of toddler was just beginning career as a DJ

By ToI Staff
Those We Have Lost
Adi Margalit, 24: Architecture student who ‘danced until her final day’

By ToI Staff
Those we have lost
Eldad Bergman, 26: Hard worker had just moved into first apartment

By ToI Staff
Those we have lost
Amitai Ben Zvi, 80: Retired driver ‘in every limb of his being’

By ToI Staff
Those we have lost
Staff Sgt. Shalev Baranes, 20: Golani soldier who loved his motorcycle

By ToI Staff
Those We Have Lost
Avshalom Haran, 66: Philanthropist, economist and ‘kibbutz pillar’

By ToI Staff
Those we have lost
Sgt. Tamir Barak, 19: Soldier’s uncle was killed in Yom Kippur War

By ToI Staff
Those we have lost
Staff Sgt. Yaad Ben Yaakov, 20: Golani soldier with a beaming smile

By ToI Staff
Those We Have Lost
Staff Sgt. Daniel Rashed, 19: Druze soldier who ‘fought like a lion’

By ToI Staff
Those We Have Lost
Staff Sgt. Eliasaf Ben Porat, 21: Immortalized by his trance tracks

By ToI Staff
Those we have lost
Cpt. Yotam Ben Bassat, 24: Elite unit commander with ‘a huge soul’

By ToI Staff
Those we have lost
Sgt. Amir Eyal, 19: IDF balloonist enjoyed life’s ‘creature comforts’

By ToI Staff

Those we are missing

The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown

Those we are missing
Taken captive: Gali Berman, from Kfar Aza’s ‘young neighborhood’

By ToI Staff
Those we are missing
Taken captive: David Cunio, abducted from burning house

By ToI Staff
Those we are missing
Taken captive: Edan Alexander, told mother he was safe

By ToI Staff
Those we are missing
Taken captive: Maxim Herkin, was attending his first trance rave

By ToI Staff
Those we are missing
Taken captive: Alon Ohel, pianist’s family recorded song for him

By ToI Staff
Those we are missing
Taken captive: Eitan Mor, guard at rave who helped save others

By ToI Staff
Those we are missing
Taken captive: Segev Kalfon, last seen running across Highway 232

By ToI Staff
Those we are missing
Taken captive: Rom Braslavski, rave guard who saved others

By ToI Staff
Those we are missing
Taken captive: Bipin Joshi, Nepalese student who deflected grenades

By ToI Staff
Those we are missing
Taken captive: Nimrod Cohen, twin working to bring him home

By ToI Staff
Those we are missing
Taken captive: Informal educator Eitan Horn visiting from Kfar Saba

By ToI Staff
Those we are missing
Taken captive: Tamir Nimrodi, walked by gunmen to base gate

By ToI Staff
Those we are missing
Taken captive: Matan Zangauker ‘is a survivor’

By ToI Staff
Those we are missing
Taken captive: Yosef-Haim Ohana, helped injured at Supernova rave

By ToI Staff
Those we are missing
Taken captive: Elkana Bohbot, young son asking, ‘Where’s Daddy?’

By ToI Staff
Those we are missing
Taken captive: Matan Angrest, turned 21 while held hostage in Gaza

By ToI Staff
Those we are missing
Taken captive: Ziv Berman, from his home in Kfar Aza’s young generation neighborhood

By ToI Staff
Those we are missing
Taken captive: Omri Miran, driven in his own car to Gaza

By ToI Staff
Those we are missing
Taken captive: Bar Kupershtein, last seen tied up by Hamas

By ToI Staff
Those we are missing
Taken captive: Evyatar David, IDed in a Hamas photo on Telegram

By ToI Staff

Tales of the Times

The quirky, improbable, infuriating and uplifting

Film review
Even Gal Gadot can’t hold this live-action Snow White together

By Jake Coyle
Ring bling
Netanyahu gifts silver-plated pager to visiting US Senator Fetterman

By Ben Sales
Back home
NASA astronauts return to Earth after 9 months stranded in space

By Issam Ahmed
Sabra star
Gal Gadot is first Israeli actor to receive star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

By ToI Staff
A round number
Israeli physicist sets national Pi memorization record

By Diana Bletter
Die-hard fans
Hostages feted as they attend first soccer games since release

By Michael Horovitz
Reaching for the stars
9 tiny satellites built by Israeli students blast off into space

By ToI Staff
Roaring trade
Police rescue lion cub, monkey from illegal animal traders

By ToI Staff
The sun will come out
‘Eretz Nehederet’ cast and Hanan Ben Ari sing for hostage Alon Ohel

By Jessica Steinberg
He says he's not dead
Still upright at 85, John Cleese to bring sit-down comedy to Israel

By Jessica Steinberg
Pie high
Haifa, Jerusalem pizzerias make 50 Top Pizza list for Asia-Pacific region

By Jessica Steinberg
Fan favorite
Israeli hit show ‘Fauda’ to start filming fifth season

By Jessica Steinberg
A real Pole
Jesse Eisenberg receives Polish citizenship after film wins Oscar

By Shira Li Bartov
That was Yeezy
Adidas sells last Kanye West shoes, donates some proceeds to charity

By Asaf Elia-Shalev
Classroom mode
Tel Aviv schools to ban smartphones starting in September

By AFP
Israelis by choice
Anu Museum introduces pilot program for veteran immigrants

By Jessica Steinberg
Ray of sunshine
Sagui Dekel-Chen sings song of hope to remaining hostages

By ToI Staff
Superman
Idan Amedi onstage for 1st major show since being wounded in Gaza

By ToI Staff
Women warriors
Hostages’ mothers, wives and sisters honored on Int. Women’s Day

By Jessica Steinberg
Needle in a stack
Book with dedication from US ambassador to PM Begin found at Jerusalem book swap station

By ToI Staff

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