Former Shin Bet Chief Sues Netanyahu for Defamation
Translated & summarized from Globes by baba
Former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar filed a NIS 3 million defamation lawsuit against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday. Bar alleges Netanyahu is responsible for a policy that enabled Hamas's armament and ignored repeated warnings about an impending attack. The lawsuit claims Netanyahu is attempting to shift blame for intelligence failures onto Bar, who has acknowledged his own role but seeks to counter what he calls "malicious and false defamation."
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar sued Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for NIS 3 million over defamation.
- Bar alleges Netanyahu's policies enabled Hamas's armament and ignored repeated attack warnings.
- The lawsuit claims Netanyahu is trying to shift blame for intelligence failures onto Bar.
- Bar stated he warned Netanyahu almost weekly about a potential Hamas attack in 2023.
- Netanyahu allegedly pursued a "quiet at all costs" policy in Gaza, financing Hamas.
- Bar seeks to counter what he calls "malicious and false defamation" and expose motives.
Former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar has filed a NIS 3 million defamation lawsuit against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Bar alleges that Netanyahu is responsible for a policy of "containment, quiet, and financing of Hamas's armament" throughout 2023, a policy Bar opposed. In his lawsuit, Bar claims he repeatedly warned Netanyahu about a potential Hamas attack and recommended preemptive actions, but these were ignored or canceled.
Bar stated that while he bears responsibility for the Shin Bet's intelligence failures regarding the October 7th attack, he has waited for a state inquiry commission to reveal the facts. However, due to what he described as the Prime Minister's "unbridled outburst," he decided to speak out against what he called "despicable behavior" and to expose the motives behind it.
The lawsuit emphasizes that Bar is not trying to evade his own responsibility, which he has already acknowledged. Instead, it aims to counter Netanyahu's alleged defamatory publications that attempt to shift his own responsibility onto Bar. The suit details how Bar warned Netanyahu almost weekly in the months leading up to October 7th about a potential multi-arena outbreak, specifically mentioning Gaza and the High Holidays. Bar also presented initiatives to neutralize Hamas leaders, which he claims were dismissed.
According to the lawsuit, Netanyahu pursued a "quiet at all costs" policy in Gaza for years, instructing to maintain quiet, postpone confrontations, and keep Hamas as the governing entity. This policy included financing Hamas's military buildup through Qatari funds, contrary to the Shin Bet's long-standing position, based on the assumption that Hamas was deterred, an assumption Bar contested.
Bar refutes claims that the Shin Bet "hid information," asserting that a warning was disseminated to all security bodies starting at 3:03 AM on October 7th, and that Netanyahu's office and other security entities were updated. He also claims Netanyahu's repeated accusations are malicious and false, intended to hide the truth and shift blame, especially since the Prime Minister did not intervene even after the massacre began. The lawsuit further alleges that Netanyahu tried to prevent Bar from submitting an affidavit to the High Court regarding Qatar's employment of advisors in the Prime Minister's office and Netanyahu's alleged attempts to use the Shin Bet against political protests.
Bar explained his decision to sue stems from the personal smear campaign against him, the lack of progress on a state inquiry commission, and alleged attempts to falsify protocols and establish false narratives. He believes a decisive action is needed to restore truth to the public discourse and counter a growing climate of loyalty and fear. Bar called on the Prime Minister not to hide behind immunity, stating that in the absence of a state inquiry, the truth will be revealed in court.
