AG says court should not dismiss petitions over firing of Ronen Bar after his resignation

The Attorney General’s Office opposes the government’s request to dismiss petitions against the firing of Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, saying that a final ruling by the High Court is necessary to ensure that the next head of the security service can stand up to “illegitimate pressures.”

The government fired Bar on March 21, but the High Court froze that decision in order to hear petitions filed with the court asking it to annul Bar’s dismissal on the grounds that it was made due to the political and personal expediences of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Bar announced last month he would resign as Shin Bet head by June 15, leading the government to annul its decision to fire him in the first place and to then request that the petitions be removed from the court’s docket.

“It is extremely important that a ruling on the principle issues at the foundation of the petitions be issued, in particular the question of the normative framework which is applicable for dismissing the head of the Shin Bet by the government,” writes the Attorney General’s Office to the court.

The attorney general’s response adds that issuing a ruling despite the cancellation of Bar’s dismissal is necessary “in order to enable senior office holders in the security services and public service in general to continue to stand strong in fulfilling their duties in accordance with the law without fear and without worrying that if they present a professional opinion or make a decision that is not viewed favorably by the political echelon… they will be dismissed.”