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Israel

Israel Briefing Day 528: Netanyahu fires Shin Bet chief in unprecedented move

Plus, US envoy Steve Witkoff has slammed Hamas for rejecting US proposals

March 17, 2025 08:56
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Ronen Bar, chief of Israel's domestic Shin Bet security agency, attends a ceremony marking Memorial Day (Image: Getty)

ByNathan Jeffay, In Israel

6 min read

This story first appeared as today’s Israel briefing newsletter. You can sign up to receive it daily here.

The bitter row between Israel’s political and security leadership has reached fever pitch, with a bombshell announcement last night by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He said he intends to fire Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar – in a move that has never been seen in Israeli history. This announcement comes after months of defence officials pressuring for a state commission into the October 7 2023 failures – a commission that would examine government policy as well as their own conduct.

The Netanyahu camp has blamed the defence establishment, especially Herzi Halevi, IDF Chief of Staff, who left his position two weeks ago, and Bar. Netanyahu’s decision also comes as Bar’s agency has been involved in a new investigation by Israel police into the Prime Minister’s Office, amid suspicions that some staffers had secret dealings with Qatari intermediaries.

Key aspects of last night’s announcement and the reaction: