Ex-Shin Bet Chief Sues Netanyahu Over Oct. 7 Blame
Translated & summarized from Kan News by baba
Former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar has filed a defamation lawsuit against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of spreading a "blood libel" that Bar knew about the October 7th attack and withheld information. Bar's lawsuit details numerous warnings he claims to have given Netanyahu about escalating threats, which he alleges were ignored. Netanyahu denies these claims, stating Bar and the Chief of Staff saw warning signs and failed to act. The lawsuit seeks to reveal the truth behind the events leading up to the attack.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar sued Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for defamation on Wednesday.
- Bar accuses Netanyahu of spreading a "blood libel" that he knew about the October 7th attack and withheld information.
- The lawsuit includes a timeline of numerous warnings Bar claims to have presented to Netanyahu about escalating threats.
- Bar alleges Netanyahu ignored his warnings and was responsible for policies that emboldened Hamas.
- Netanyahu denies the claims, stating Bar and the Chief of Staff saw warning signs before the attack.
- Bar seeks to reveal the truth and counter what he calls Netanyahu's "unbridled incitement campaign."
Former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar has filed a defamation lawsuit against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing the premier of spreading a "blood libel" that Bar knew about the October 7th Hamas attack and deliberately withheld information. Bar's legal team stated that the lawsuit "completely shatters the Prime Minister's claims" and highlights a series of warnings about impending disaster, recommendations, and operational plans he presented to Netanyahu, which he claims were ignored. The lawsuit also details Netanyahu's responsibility for the policy of containment, quiet, and funding Hamas's armament.
Bar asserted that Netanyahu's "unbridled incitement campaign," which began over a year and a half ago, aims to evade responsibility and target those who worked to remove pro-Hamas elements from his office and prevent the Shin Bet from becoming a "secret police." He acknowledged his own responsibility for the Shin Bet's intelligence failures regarding the October 7th attack and its timing, stating he resigned with bowed head to the bereaved families. Bar explained that he waited three years for a state inquiry commission but, due to the personal smear campaign and alleged attempts to falsify protocols, he decided to speak out.
Bar contends that Netanyahu is deliberately lying about the Shin Bet's responsibilities, knowing the agency is not tasked with managing military forces, approving civilian events, or operating emergency response teams. He called Netanyahu's accusations "malicious and completely false defamation" intended to hide the truth. Bar plans to present documents proving his claims, stating that in an era of leadership based on lies, only decisive action can restore truth to public discourse.
The lawsuit includes a timeline of warnings Bar claims to have presented to Netanyahu in the months leading up to October 7th, which he alleges were met with ignorance or insufficient response. These include warnings about Yahya Sinwar's intentions, Hamas's encouragement from Israel's internal divisions, a significant rise in terror alerts, and the growing strategic deficit. Netanyahu, in response to a Wall Street Journal report about an Egyptian warning, denied knowing about the attack beforehand and claimed Bar and Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi saw the signs hours earlier, suggesting they should have acted to prevent the massacre.
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