Ex-Shin Bet Chief Ronen Bar to Sue PM Netanyahu for Libel

Former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar announced Monday he intends to file a libel suit against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The lawsuit stems from Netanyahu's recent sharp criticism and accusations against Bar regarding his conduct in the lead-up to the October 7th Hamas attack.

Bar's legal team stated that as part of the proceedings, they will seek disclosure of documents related to information provided to the Prime Minister before the massacre, as well as Netanyahu's meeting schedule with security officials and foreign entities. They also plan to summon Netanyahu's aides and staff for testimony, whom Bar alleges are involved in a "manipulative campaign."

The announcement follows Netanyahu's denial of a report claiming former Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel had personally warned him before October 7th. Netanyahu asserted he had no meetings or conversations with Kamel in the months prior and that no Israeli intelligence source conveyed such a warning to him.

Netanyahu had previously accused Bar of "failures and crimes" and of orchestrating a "vile and false campaign" to shift blame for the events of October 7th onto him. The Prime Minister claimed that Bar spoke with then-IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and then-Head of Military Intelligence Aharon Haliva on the night before the attack about accumulating signs, but failed to contact Netanyahu to update him. Netanyahu further alleged Bar did not alert reserve forces or IDF troops in the area and did not act to evacuate the Nova music festival, suggesting Bar's knowledge of "real danger" was evidenced by the dispatch of a small counter-terrorism team.

Bar's statement rejected these claims, accusing Netanyahu of attempting to deflect discussion about responsibility for the events preceding the massacre. Bar asserted that he had "unprecedentedly" warned Netanyahu of an "impending disaster" and that the Prime Minister had ignored warnings and recommendations concerning restoring deterrence and strengthening the border. Bar cited a previous affidavit filed in April 2025, where he stated he had ordered updates to the Prime Minister's office on the night of October 7th, and that the Shin Bet had "awakened the system" based on received intelligence.

Bar explained his decision to pursue legal action now, after previously preferring to wait for an investigative committee, stating, "The sequence of lies cannot be allowed to continue." He accused Netanyahu of selectively publishing documents, taking them out of context, and attempting to place blame on him following reports of warnings he allegedly received before the attack. Bar concluded, "Victory is achieved by a preemptive strike on the enemy outside, not on the security forces from within."