Netanyahu calls Bar ‘soft,’ says he was ‘not aggressive enough’ in hostage negotiations

Speaking in the cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar is “soft” and “not the right person to rehabilitate the organization,” according to his office.

He says that his determination was made on the night of October 7, 2023, and during the negotiations for the release of hostages that followed.

“I have been managing diplomatic negotiations for many years,” says Netanyahu. “He had a soft approach and not aggressive enough.”

He claims that since replacing Bar with another senior Shin Bet official, “the leaks have decreased dramatically, and through very successful negotiations we have managed to return the hostages.”

The ceasefire-hostage deal with Hamas was signed in January, weeks before Netanyahu removed Bar from the negotiating team.