As Ronen Bar’s term comes to an end, deputy Shin Bet chief to take over temporarily
Amid controversy that led to his firing, Bar did not attend cabinet meetings for weeks, but reportedly was at gathering that approved Iran strikes
As Israel wages war against Iran, Shin Bet director Ronen Bar’s term was set to end on Sunday night, with his deputy, known only by his Hebrew initial Shin, to take over as acting head of the domestic intelligence agency.
Recently retired IDF Maj. Gen. David Zini is slated to ultimately replace Bar, although the formal appointment process is expected to take several more weeks, and will likely face legal challenges.
Despite having previously determined that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has a conflict of interest in appointing a new Shin Bet chief, including an acting chief, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara last week approved the appointment of Shin for a one-month period since, she said, it was of crucial importance to Israeli security that the position be filled.
Bar’s exit and Zini’s selection have been plagued with controversy.
Bar had announced in April that he would step down as head of the Shin Bet on June 15.
He did not attend cabinet meetings for several weeks, but was at the fateful cabinet meeting during which the government decided to go ahead with strikes on Iran, the Kan public broadcaster reported Friday, citing an unnamed source who was at the meeting.
Israel, early Friday, struck a range of Iranian targets in a shock attack, saying the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program had become an immediate and existential threat to the Jewish state.
Bar’s replacement will take over as Israel continues daily waves of attacks on Iran and absorbs barrages of Iranian missiles that, though largely intercepted by air defense systems, have already killed 13 people and injured over 200.
Bar was fired by the government in March in highly controversial circumstances, and the High Court froze his dismissal while it adjudicated petitions that alleged that his firing was tainted by severe procedural failures and motivated by Netanyahu’s personal and political expediencies, including criminal investigations being conducted by the Shin Bet into the prime minister’s close aides.
Bar nevertheless announced in April he would step down on June 15 over his agency’s part in the failure to prevent Hamas’s October 7, 2023, massacre, after which the High Court ruled that his dismissal had been unlawful, and that Netanyahu had a conflict of interest in firing Bar due to the criminal investigations, though it declined to issue operative orders due to Bar’s decision to resign.
Baharav-Miara immediately told Netanyahu that, resulting from the court ruling, he had a conflict of interest in appointing a new Shin Bet chief, but Netanyahu nevertheless nominated Zini to replace Bar.
The attorney general subsequently told Netanyahu that his nomination of Zini was “invalid and unlawful,” adding that it was doubtful that he would be able to take up the position.
The Movement for Quality Government in Israel, one of the primary petitioners against Bar’s dismissal, protested Netanyahu’s appointment of Shin, saying that the High Court decision regarding Netanyahu’s conflict of interest meant he could not make the appointment.
The organization filed an urgent petition to the High Court last Wednesday, demanding that Bar be kept in place while a replacement is found.
That petition will likely be dismissed due to the attorney general’s approval of Shin’s appointment.
Correction: This story previously reported mistakenly that Bar exited his position at midnight Sunday; in fact, his term will end Sunday night, according to the Shin Bet.
The Times of Israel Community.