Ex-Supreme Court chief Barak says he would nullify firing of Shin Bet head if he was on bench today

Former Supreme Court president Aharon Barak tells Channel 12 news he would overturn a government decision to fire Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar if he served on the bench today.

Barak explains he believes the ousting of Bar from the role in the middle of his term is illegitimate because it is not a “role of confidence” with the political echelon. Instead, the person in the job is meant to carry out the role as it is explicitly written in legislation.

“There is authority to dismiss, but no reason to dismiss,” he adds.

He says he would also strike down the firing of Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, another top official whom the government seeks to oust.

Barak appeals directly to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, urging him to halt the process of firing Bar and Baharav-Miara, and other policies the former justice considers destructive.

He answers in the affirmative when asked if he thinks Netanyahu should take a plea deal in his criminal trial.

“I think that it is right for Netanyahu. It is right for his legacy. And it is right for the State of Israel. And I think it is possible,” he says. “Otherwise, the trial will continue. The rift between [those] for Bibi, against Bibi will continue,” he says, using Netanyahu’s nickname.

Asked by the interviewer what he would say to Netanyahu if he could talk to him, Barak answers, “This is your policy, I am completely against it. I ask you don’t implement it beyond what you have done today. Stop. Stop, ” he urges.

“There will be elections. You will be elected. You will have time to achieve what you want, but don’t take the rift beyond what it already is.”