In statement to court on his firing, Bar says Netanyahu required personal loyalty; expected him to obey PM, not High Court, in event of constitutional crisis

Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar tells the High Court of Justice that he was fired not due to professional considerations, but rather due to expectations from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he be loyal to the premier and obey him over the High Court, in the event of a constitutional crisis.

In a formal statement to the court relating to petitions against the government’s decision to fire him, the Shin Bet head lists several decisions he made regarding Netanyahu’s affairs that contravened the premier’s expectation of loyalty.

Bar also alleges that “it was made clear to me” that in the event of a constitutional crisis, he must obey the prime minister and not the orders of the Supreme Court.

Those decisions, Bar says, included his authorization of an investigation of the classified documents scandal in the Prime Minister’s Office; his refusal to tell the Jerusalem District Court that Netanyahu couldn’t testify due to security considerations; the Shin Bet’s assertion that the political leadership was in part responsible for the October 7 Hamas attack; the agency’s position that there should be a state commission of inquiry into the catastrophe; and Bar’s authorization of an investigation into the Qatargate scandal.

Bar also asserts that Netanyahu wanted to him to use the Shin Bet’s authority to track those involved in anti-government protests and hand over details of protest leaders, but that Bar refused to do so.

He adds that Netanyahu made such requests after formal work meetings had ended and after his military secretary and the stenographer had left the room, in order that they not be recorded.