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On Friday, Israel’s High Court of Justice issued a temporary injunction that halts the removal of Shin Bet’s chief, Ronen Bar. This decision came just hours after the Cabinet voted to dismiss him by April 10, as reported by the Times of Israel.
According to the Times of Israel, the injunction will remain effective until the court can review the petitions challenging Bar’s dismissal, with hearings scheduled to take place no later than April 8.
This ruling creates a confrontation between the government and the judiciary, as ministers have openly declared their intention to disregard the court’s decision. The judicial system appears to have significant support from various segments of Israeli civil society, with the main labor union and business forum threatening a nationwide strike if the government fails to comply with the court’s order.
Following the High Court’s announcement, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara advised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he is barred from appointing a new head of Shin Bet or conducting interviews for the position.
In a noteworthy development, the attorney general indicated that Prime Minister Netanyahu’s role in the appointment process for a new Shin Bet chief will be scrutinized due to potential conflicts of interest.
The Times of Israel has reported that the Shin Bet, in collaboration with the police, is currently undertaking a criminal investigation into alleged improper connections between senior aides of Netanyahu and Qatar. The attorney general has indicated that this investigation could suggest a conflict of interest for Netanyahu regarding his authority to hire and dismiss the head of the Shin Bet.
Additionally, it was noted that Prime Minister Netanyahu had previously signed a conflict of interest agreement in 2020, which restricts his involvement in the appointment of judges and high-ranking law enforcement officials due to his ongoing criminal trial related to corruption charges. The head of the Shin Bet appears to be one of the officials covered by this agreement.
In response to the injunction and comments from Baharav-Miara, Netanyahu took to X to assert that “The State of Israel is a country of law, and according to the law, the Israeli government determines who will serve as the head of the Shin Bet.
