Israeli PM Was Reminded Not To Remove Shin Bet's Head For Hazardous Security And Hostage

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi with Head of Shin Bet Ronen Bar. (Wikimedia Commons/IDF Spokesperson's Unit photographer)

JAKARTA - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was warned that the sacking of the head of the Shin Bet security agency could jeopardize the security and hostages of Israel in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli media Kan reported that PM Netanyahu plans to remove Shin Bet's father Ronen Bar from his post, quoted from The Times of Israel February 17.

Kan mengatakan, setelah badan keamanan menyelesaikan penyelidikan internalnya terhadap gagal mencegah peristiwa 7 Oktober 2023, PM Netanyahu akan menuntut Bar mengundurkan diri, baik melalui pengunduran dirinya atau melalui keputusan kobinet untuk menghapusnya dari jabatan.

Meanwhile, opposition leader Yair Lapid and National Unity Party chairman Benny Gantz both asked PM Netanyahu not to fire Bar.

Bar is a "brave and honest person in charge of October 7" and "this is not the time to fire him, not when sensitive negotiations are underway about the continued release of our hostages," Gantz told reporters ahead of his party's weekly faction meeting in Knesset.

Bar is known to be part of the Israeli hostage negotiating team, although news Channel 12 reported earlier this month, PM Netanyahu is considering removing him from the position.

"To the prime minister, I say - there are times when politics is small should not affect major measures. If you fire him for political reasons - you will endanger the security and resilience of the country. You will endanger our hostages," and for that "You will never be forgiven," said Gantz.

"Those investigated cannot fire their investigators," said Lapid ahead of the meeting of his own party faction Yesh Atid.

"Ronen Bar had to resign, but only after he completed two steps - the return of the hostages, and an investigation into the infiltration of the Prime Minister's Office by the Arab state," he added.

Shin Bet said on weekends that it would investigate officials at Netanyahu's office, possibly including his former spokesman Eli Feldstein, over alleged illicit ties with Qatar.

Feldstein, who was separately charged with endangering national security in a case involving theft and leaking IDF classified documents, was allegedly paid by Doha to feed Israeli journalists with pro-Qatar news, Hebrew media reported.

"The nearest assistants to the prime minister received a lot of money. This is no longer just corruption and a violation of the law, this is a dangerous attack on national security. Qatar bought his own influence at PM Netanyahu's office with money. If he knew this, he was a criminal. If he didn't know this, he lost control of his position in times of war and he was incompetent," he explained.