Israel's Supreme Court Rules Dismissal Of Head Of Illegal Shin Bet Intelligence

JAKARTA - Israel's Supreme Court ruled that the government's decision to fire the head of the Shin Bet domestic intelligence agency, Ronen Bar, was "illegal and against the law".

In March 2024, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided to fire Shin Bet Ronen Bar's head.

Netanyahu's actions sparked protests in Israel, with critics arguing the government is weakening key state institutions and endangering Israel's democratic foundations.

Earlier, the Israeli Supreme Court issued an order on Friday, March 21 blocking the decision to dismiss the head of the interior intelligence service as protesters took to the streets again for the fourth day.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week announced he lost confidence in Shin Bet's head, Ronen Bar, and intended to fire him.

The sacking of Ronen Bar then sparked tens of thousands of people to join demonstrations in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv this week to protest the sacking.

"I see the end of Israel's path as we know it in the past. We are very worried that these are Israel's last days as a democratic country," said Uri Arnin, a businessman who joined the protests outside Netanyahu's residence in Jerusalem.

"We are here to try and change this direction, but the chances are not too high," he said.

Netanyahu, with a safe majority in parliament and backed by the return of hardline National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, was able to ward off the protests.

But the protests emphasize the division in Israeli society that has deepened since he returned to power by the end of 2022.

Bar's dismissal follows more than two years of hostilities between Netanyahu supporters and elements of security and defense agencies exacerbated by errors over the failure that allowed Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, the worst security disaster in Israel's history.

As the dispute over Shin Bet's head spread, Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported that the motion of not believing in Attorney General Gali Baharav Miara, who is often the target of government anger, had been included in the agenda of routine weekly cabinet meetings.