Ex-Shin Bet Chief Sues Netanyahu Over War Blame

Former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar has filed a 134-page defamation lawsuit against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of falsely blaming Bar for "crimes" related to the October 7th Hamas attack. The lawsuit, filed in the Central District Court in Lod, was reportedly prompted by Netanyahu's recent accusations during the election campaign, which Bar views as malicious and treasonous.

Bar's suit contends that Netanyahu falsely portrayed him as someone who knew about the impending attack and deliberately chose not to act to save lives. This, Bar argues, is a deliberate distortion of events, aiming to absolve Netanyahu of his own responsibilities. Netanyahu, in a rare interview, claimed that security officials had misled him for years about Hamas being deterred. Bar vehemently denies this, asserting that he consistently pushed for offensive actions while Netanyahu favored a policy of "quiet at any cost" and ignored repeated warnings.

According to Bar, Netanyahu was "asleep for long months" and refused to wake up despite his persistent alarms. Bar also claims that Netanyahu's "quiet directive" and the restriction of security forces' operational freedom in Gaza prevented them from carrying out preemptive counter-terrorism operations. The lawsuit highlights a potential legal asymmetry, as Netanyahu enjoys parliamentary immunity for statements made in his capacity as a Knesset member. However, Bar's lawyers argue that the accusations of "crimes" were made solely for personal and propaganda purposes.

The outcome of the lawsuit could potentially obviate the need for a state commission of inquiry, which the "change bloc" in Israeli politics has repeatedly pledged to establish. If a preliminary settlement is not reached and the commission is formed, likely in the fall, the trial may become moot. The article speculates on Netanyahu's preference after the elections.