Ex-Shin Bet Chief Ronen Bar to Sue Netanyahu Over October 7th Blame

Former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar announced Monday he will file a defamation lawsuit against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Bar is seeking to compel the disclosure of documents and meeting logs related to information Netanyahu received before the October 7th Hamas attacks. Netanyahu had accused Bar of "crimes" and of knowing about a "real danger" on the morning of October 7th and failing to act.

Bar stated that if the lawsuit proceeds, he will summon Netanyahu's aides and staff to testify regarding what he described as a "manipulative campaign" against him. A statement from Bar's office asserted that Netanyahu has launched a "reckless and baseless incitement campaign" against the former Shin Bet head. It further claimed that Netanyahu, after refusing for three years to acknowledge responsibility and block a state inquiry, is now attempting to deflect blame by accusing those who warned him in real-time.

According to Bar, he had previously warned Netanyahu "unprecedentedly" of an impending disaster, which the Prime Minister ignored, along with recommendations to restore deterrence and strengthen the border. Bar had initially waited for a state commission of inquiry but felt compelled to act due to what he called a "stream of lies" and "manipulation of protocols" by the Prime Minister concerning the extent of warnings received before October 7th.

Bar's legal team is instructed to file the defamation suit and summon anyone who distorted documents or spread false information. He urged Netanyahu to release all documents to reveal the full truth without manipulation, emphasizing the importance of defending the memory of the fallen and the integrity of Shin Bet personnel. Netanyahu, in response to a Wall Street Journal report, had claimed that "left-wing media" were running a "vile and false campaign" to blame him for Bar's failures. He alleged that Bar spoke with military leaders on October 7th but failed to update the Prime Minister, alert emergency response teams, or evacuate the Nova music festival, instead sending only a small "Tequila" team, which Netanyahu argued indicated Bar knew of a real danger.

Bar's prior legal filings in a High Court petition regarding his dismissal detailed his account of October 7th. He stated the Shin Bet alerted all relevant bodies at 3:03 AM about Hamas's unusual preparations and potential offensive intentions. He also noted he instructed his office to update Netanyahu's military secretary at 5:15 AM. However, Netanyahu's office confirmed he did not receive the first call from his military secretary until 6:29 AM. Bar's team highlighted that 12 Shin Bet members were killed on October 7th, including some at the Nova festival and others in combat.