Ex-Shin Bet Chief Bar Sues Netanyahu for Defamation Over Pre-Oct. 7 Warnings
Translated & summarized from Ice by baba
Former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar is suing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for NIS 3 million in a defamation case, alleging Netanyahu falsely accused him of "crimes" regarding pre-October 7th warnings. Bar claims he repeatedly alerted Netanyahu to imminent threats, but was ignored. Media personality Tal Gilboa publicly condemned Bar, stating he should be jailed. The lawsuit is part of an ongoing legal battle, including a previous High Court case regarding Bar's dismissal.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar sued Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for NIS 3 million in defamation.
- Bar claims he repeatedly warned Netanyahu of imminent threats before the October 7th attacks, but was ignored.
- Netanyahu had accused Bar of "crimes" related to his actions prior to the October 7th attacks.
- Media personality Tal Gilboa stated Bar "should sit in jail until his last day."
- The lawsuit is linked to a prior legal dispute over Bar's dismissal from his Shin Bet role.
Former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar has filed a NIS 3 million defamation lawsuit against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, escalating their public dispute over warnings issued before the October 7th Hamas attacks. Bar claims that in the months leading up to the attack, he repeatedly alerted the Prime Minister about an imminent multi-arena escalation and presented plans to thwart Hamas leaders, but these were ignored by Netanyahu. Bar stated he waited three years for a state inquiry commission but decided to reveal his account in court due to what he called a "blood libel." He urged Netanyahu not to hide behind claims of immunity.
Media personality and "Big Brother" winner Tal Gilboa strongly criticized Bar in a video posted on Instagram. "Ronen Bar should sit in jail until his last day," she declared, questioning how he could "show his face" after his actions. Gilboa accused Bar of being "political" and suggested that the Shin Bet was not warning properly, stating, "This is not how you warn! And if in the final analysis he says 'I knew', woe is us!"
The lawsuit follows a broader legal and political struggle that reached the High Court of Justice in 2025 after the government decided to end Bar's tenure. The court ruled that the dismissal was improperly handled and that Netanyahu acted in a conflict of interest due to investigations into his associates in the "Qatargate" affair. During those proceedings, Bar submitted an affidavit detailing alleged improper pressures, including requests from the Prime Minister's office to act against protesters and to provide a security opinion that would prevent Netanyahu from testifying continuously in his trial.
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