40,000 protest Netanyahu's plan to fire Shin Bet chief as Gaza strike start again

This opened the door for the return of far-right politician Itamar Ben Gvir to the cabinet, who has been at the forefront of calls for Bar’s dismissal, along with Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, another figure in the government’s crosshairs.

Netanyahu’s actions sparked accusations — which he denied — that he had intentionally ended the ceasefire and sabotaged hostage negotiations to shore up political support from his far-right allies ahead of a crucial budget vote later this month.

“The ‘peace for Netanyahu’ war has begun,” said former Mossad head Tamir Pardo, one of the rally’s key speakers. He criticised Netanyahu’s conduct, calling the prime minister a “coward, charlatan, and liar,” and warned that Netanyahu was steering Israel towards self-destruction.

“We won’t forgive and won’t forget the abandonment of the country’s defence,” Pardo continued. “You, the suspect Benjamin Netanyahu, pose a clear and present danger to the nation’s security.”

Netanyahu had announced on Sunday his intention to fire Bar, citing a lack of trust.

However, Baharav-Miara argued that Netanyahu could not proceed with the dismissal unless a “factual and legal basis” for such a move was established.

On Monday, Netanyahu accused the attorney general of overstepping her authority and dismissed claims that Bar’s firing was tied to an investigation into alleged illicit financial transfers from Doha to three of Netanyahu’s aides, which Baharav-Miara had initiated.

Roni Alsheich, a former police chief who has clashed with Netanyahu in the past, also accused the prime minister of facilitating Qatar’s role as a ceasefire mediator to keep Hamas in power, weakening the Palestinian Authority based in the West Bank.

“Qatar’s strategic aim is maintaining Hamas rule,” Alsheich said. “The hostages are a pawn of the Qataris toward that aim.”

The protest was organised by the group “Protective Wall for Israel,” which claims to unite 169 former senior security officials from the military, police, Mossad, and Shin Bet.

Maj. Gen. (res.) Noam Tibon, who hosted the rally, cited police estimates suggesting that around 40,000 people attended, making it one of the largest protests since September.

Former Shin Bet chief Yoram Cohen, however, faced strong backlash from the crowd when he urged them to stop chanting “traitor” about Netanyahu and downplayed his criticisms of the prime minister.

“It’s my understanding,” Cohen said, provoking irritated murmurs from the crowd, “that the real existential threat is not Hamas and Hezbollah, but those who seek to change Israel’s democratic character.”

This protest was one of several against Bar’s firing, which is also being challenged in court.

Earlier on Tuesday, dozens of protesters began a march to Jerusalem, with larger demonstrations planned for Wednesday in the capital. It remains unclear when the cabinet will meet to formally dismiss Bar.

Meanwhile, families of hostages held in Gaza joined the protests, arguing that Netanyahu’s decision to resume fighting would only make it harder to secure the release of their loved ones.