Lapid pushes back against GOP senator who defends Netanyahu decision to fire Shin Bet chief

Opposition leader Yair Lapid pushes back against Republican Sen. Tom Cotton after the latter defended Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to fire Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar.

“It’s not a ‘threat to democracy’ for an elected head of state to have the power to remove the chief of an intelligence service—it’s essential to democracy. And if Prime Minister Netanyahu has lost confidence in this intelligence chief, how can the US government have confidence in him?” Cotton tweeted earlier today.

The tweet was quickly shared by Netanyahu.

Responding to his “dear friend” Cotton, Lapid begins by hailing him as “one of Israel’s greatest friends in the senate. A constant voice of moral clarity.”

“As I’m sure you know, the head of Shin Bet is leading an investigation into Qatari payments to Netanyahu’s office and closest advisors including during the war,” Lapid tweets.

“It is a devastating breach of our security, and many of the details are not even being denied. As someone who cares deeply about national security, I’m sure you understand the severity,” Lapid continues. “The prime minister has the right to fire him, but only after the investigation is concluded.”