Netanyahu Feared Personal Harm From Targeted Killings, Ex-Shin Bet Chief Claims

Former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar alleges in a lawsuit that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed concerns about personal harm resulting from targeted assassinations, fearing a "balancing of the equation" by enemies against him. Bar filed a NIS 3 million lawsuit against Netanyahu for alleged defamation, claiming the Prime Minister spread false accusations that he knew of an impending attack but failed to warn Netanyahu or security forces. Bar asserts this was an attempt to shift blame for the October 7th massacre.

Bar's lawsuit details security discussions preceding the October 7th attack. He claims Netanyahu downplayed warnings about Hamas's growing strength and the risk of a multi-front war, focusing instead on the security of his family. Bar also alleges that a recommendation for a preemptive strike was postponed until after the holidays, and that approvals for targeted killings made a week before October 7th were not acted upon.

In a May 2023 meeting, Bar recommended expanding targeted assassinations to restore Israeli deterrence, presenting intelligence that Yahya Sinwar was undergoing a "messianic process." According to the lawsuit, Netanyahu responded by stating his fear of enemies retaliating against him personally. Earlier, in February 2023, Bar warned Netanyahu of a "perfect storm" brewing due to internal Israeli divisions and Palestinian instability, likening the situation to Nasrallah's "spider webs" speech. Netanyahu's response, as per the lawsuit, focused on the Shin Bet's role in protecting the Prime Minister and his family.

Further claims include a September 12th cabinet meeting where Bar warned of an unusual security situation, but the discussion shifted to protests against public officials after Netanyahu instructed to maintain quiet during the holidays. A recommendation for a preemptive strike, termed "extinguishing with an explosion," was made on September 21st but was to be executed only after the holidays. On October 1st, Netanyahu reportedly approved advancing preparations for assassinations but did not convene a discussion on the matter, prioritizing a potential diplomatic agreement with Saudi Arabia and maintaining security quiet.

Bar also detailed warnings from August 2023 about a "combined terror attack" from Lebanon, Gaza, and Iran, and an April 2023 alert about the need to strike terror orchestrators in Gaza who felt immune. The lawsuit even traces warnings back to November 2022, before Netanyahu formed his government, when Bar informed him that a Shin Bet operation to assassinate Sinwar had not been advanced.