Ex-Shin Bet Chief Ronen Bar Threatens to Expose Netanyahu Over Oct. 7 Warnings

Former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar has filed a defamation lawsuit against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, escalating a public dispute over warnings issued before the October 7th Hamas attacks. The lawsuit comes after Netanyahu allegedly threatened legal action against Bar following reports that the Shin Bet had received Egyptian warnings prior to the attack. Bar's legal team stated that Netanyahu has engaged in a "reckless and baseless incitement campaign" against the former Shin Bet head, accusing him of manipulating documents and distorting facts to avoid responsibility for ignoring pre-attack intelligence.

Bar's statement asserts that as Shin Bet chief, he "unprecedentedly" warned the Prime Minister of an impending disaster, which Netanyahu allegedly ignored, along with recommendations to bolster deterrence and border security. Bar initially intended to wait for a state commission of inquiry but felt compelled to act due to what he described as a "string of lies" and "misinformation" from the Prime Minister's office regarding the extent of the warnings received.

The lawsuit demands the disclosure of all relevant documents and diaries, urging the public to see the "entire truth without manipulation." Bar's representatives called on Netanyahu to immediately reveal all documents pertaining to the events leading up to October 7th. The statement also pushed back against what it called a "vile and false campaign" by "left-wing media" to shift blame for Bar's alleged failures onto Netanyahu.

Conversely, the Prime Minister's office accused Bar of a "despicable and false campaign" by "left-wing media" aiming to place his failures before October 7th onto Netanyahu. They claim that on the night of October 7th, Bar spoke with then-IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and head of military intelligence Aharon Haliva about the "indicating signs" but chose not to inform the Prime Minister, alert reserve units, or evacuate the Nova music festival, allegedly sending only a small team to the site, which they claim proves he knew of the "real danger."