Ex-Shin Bet Chief Sues Netanyahu Over Hamas Attack Blame

Former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar announced Monday evening, September 28, that he will file a defamation lawsuit against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Bar is demanding the release of testimony and documents related to information Netanyahu received before October 7, as well as the prime minister's meeting schedules with security officials and foreign dignitaries. This action comes in response to recent statements by Netanyahu, who on September 28 accused Bar of "crimes" and alleged that Bar "knew of the real danger" from Hamas on the night of October 7, 2023, but failed to act. Bar stated that his lawsuit would involve "summoning for testimony Netanyahu's office staff and aides who have helped and are helping him conduct this manipulative campaign."

In a statement, Bar's office declared, "Prime Minister Netanyahu has launched an unrestrained incitement campaign against the former Shin Bet chief, which has nothing to do with reality." The statement further accused Netanyahu of refusing to accept responsibility for three years, obstructing the establishment of a state investigation commission, and then selectively publishing manipulated documents out of context. "Now that evidence of warnings he received before the massacre is beginning to emerge, he is trying to deflect blame from himself by accusing the one who warned him in real-time," the statement read.

Bar's statement asserted that as Shin Bet chief, he "unprecedentedly warned the prime minister of the impending catastrophe, and the prime minister ignored these warnings, as well as recommendations to restore deterrence and strengthen the border." While Bar had previously felt it appropriate to await an investigation commission, he stated that "this series of lies cannot be allowed to continue." The statement accused Netanyahu of "lies, distortion of facts, manipulation of protocols, and dissemination of misleading information" as the scale of warnings he received before October 7 becomes clearer. Therefore, Bar has instructed his lawyers to file the defamation suit and summon all those who distorted documents and spread false information.

Bar urged Netanyahu to immediately release all documents for public review without manipulation. He emphasized that the lawsuit and subsequent truth disclosure are crucial for protecting the memory of the fallen, the dignity of Shin Bet personnel, and the truth itself, which he claims Netanyahu is distorting through his incitement campaign against security leaders. "Victory is achieved by preemptive attack on the external enemy, not on one's own security forces," Bar concluded.

In the absence of a state commission investigating the events leading up to October 7, the lawsuit will serve as a public platform for Bar to present his account and counter Netanyahu's claims. Sources close to Bar stated that Netanyahu is "deflecting responsibility" amid revelations of pre-October 7 warnings. They expressed hope that a future investigation commission would impartially examine the events preceding that day. These sources denied Netanyahu's claim that Bar spoke with security chiefs on the night of October 7, stating that the Prime Minister's Military Secretary was informed at 3 a.m. They also asserted that Netanyahu is "trampling on the truth and the memory of the fallen to evade responsibility."

Netanyahu had previously responded to a Wall Street Journal investigation regarding a warning from Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel, attacking both the media and Bar. Netanyahu claimed that "left-wing media" were conducting a "vile and false campaign" to blame him for Bar's failures. He alleged that Bar spoke multiple times with the IDF Chief of Staff and head of Military Intelligence on October 7, discussing alarming signs, but chose not to inform Netanyahu, local defense forces, or evacuate the Nova festival attendees, only dispatching a small unit. Netanyahu also suggested that "foreign, hostile states and forces, including Arab countries" were behind these claims to overthrow his government. Bar, in a April 2025 filing to the High Court of Justice regarding his dismissal, denied that Shin Bet had prior knowledge of Hamas's plans and concealed it, stating he asked to inform the Prime Minister at 5:15 a.m. He called the concealment allegations "organized incitement." Bar detailed Shin Bet's warnings to political leadership about the deteriorating security situation and adversaries exploiting societal divisions, and his July 2023 conversation with Netanyahu about the gravity of the situation. He provided a timeline of the night before the attack, including notifications to military commands and a warning sent to agencies about Hamas's offensive intentions. Bar acknowledged that intelligence data that night was misinterpreted, but stressed that Shin Bet and Yamam (police counter-terrorism unit) personnel saved lives, with some casualties among them. Netanyahu's office has previously stated he was not warned of the October 7 attack.