Netanyahu denies asking Bar to deem it to dangerous for PM to testify in corruption trial

Firing back after Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar’s letter to the High Court of Justice alleging that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked him to tell judges that the premier should not testify in his own corruption trial for security reasons, Netanyahu’s office says the statement is “tainted with severe conflict of interest.”

“This statement is full of lies,” says the PMO in a statement, “such as the claim that the Prime Minister asked the Shin Bet to use the organization’s powers inappropriately against Israeli citizens — something that never happened. The prime minister spoke with the Shin Bet about ways to allow his testimony in court in light of the missile threats against Israel and against the prime minister in particular.”

Netanyahu and Bar did discuss the testimony, his office says, but only talked about where it should be held: “Indeed, the Shin Bet professionals determined that the hearings should be held in the protected area of ​​the Tel Aviv District Court and not elsewhere. And so the hearings are indeed taking place.”

The PMO also says that Netanyahu’s and the cabinet’s lack of trust in Bar “did not stem from a question of personal loyalty, but rather from a lack of trust in his performance after his decisive role in the failure of October 7, in which he chose not to update the political echelon along with a series of other events that subsequently undermined professional trust in him.”

Bar said in his letter that he is being fired because he adhered to his job’s requirement that he maintain “professional independence,” rather than act out of personal loyalty to the premier.

“The only one motivated by personal motives is the Shin Bet head, who clings to the altar and insists on remaining in his position after losing the trust of the entire government,” says Netanyahu’s office.