Nova Festival Security Chief Sues Ex-Shin Bet Head for $680,000

Elkana Federman, the security chief for the Nova music festival who was injured during the October 7th Hamas attack, is suing former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar for 2.5 million shekels (approximately $680,000). Federman alleges that Bar was negligent in his handling of intelligence leading up to the attack, failing to provide adequate warnings.

In the lawsuit filed in Jerusalem Magistrate's Court, Federman claims that Bar's alleged negligence resulted in his own physical and psychological injuries, lost earnings, and pain and suffering. The suit details several "unusual indications" received by the Shin Bet the night before the attack, including the activation of SIM cards prepared for Hamas operatives, unusual movements by Hamas leaders, and changes in communication patterns. A human source also reportedly warned of Hamas operatives gathering at mosques and meeting points, with this information allegedly reaching Bar.

Federman contends that this crucial human intelligence was not presented at a situation assessment meeting in the Southern Command around 3 AM on October 7th. He describes this information as a "game-changer" that could have altered the interpretation of other intelligence signs. The lawsuit also points to Bar's decision to dispatch the Shin Bet's "Tequila" team to the south as evidence that Bar was preparing for a potential infiltration into Israel.

According to the lawsuit, Bar failed to fully brief the Southern Command and should have also alerted the police, who were securing the festival. Federman argues that if the complete intelligence had been shared, the military would have prepared differently, and the Nova festival would have received different security considerations. The suit states that Bar, through his negligence, "did not lift a finger to protect the festival attendees, including the plaintiff."

The lawsuit also recounts Federman's actions during the attack. He and his security team worked to evacuate thousands of attendees amidst rocket fire, adhering to the principle of "not leaving the event until the last celebrant leaves." When militants attacked the exit area, Federman and other guards used ATVs to help evacuate the wounded. He later engaged militants alongside a wounded soldier and a police officer, eventually being shot in the back himself while trying to advance on the attackers. After hiding for hours, he was evacuated and underwent two surgeries. Federman believes that proper warnings would have led to the festival's cancellation and evacuation hours before the attack, thus preventing his injuries.