The Movement for Quality Government in Israel urgently appealed today, 17 March 2025, to government ministers, the prime minister and the attorney general regarding Prime Minister Netanyahu’s intention to convene the government in the coming days to make a decision on the dismissal of the head of Shin Bet, Ronen Bar.
The urgent appeal was sent after it became clear that Netanyahu intends to violate the directive of the attorney general who clarified it explicitly to him last night that “it is not possible to initiate a procedure to terminate the term of office as stated until the factual and legal basis to the decision is established,” due to the exceptional sensitivity of the matter, the concern that the procedure is tainted with illegality and conflict of interest, and considering that the position of head of Shin Bet is not a personal appointment to a position of trust by the prime minister.
In its letter, the Movement notes that Shin Bet head Ronen Bar responded to the decision to dismiss him by saying that Prime Minister Netanyahu’s expectation of personal loyalty is unlawful and contrary to the law.
The Movement recalls that only about a month ago, on 16 February 2025, the Shin Bet announced its intention to begin examining the connection between the Prime Minister’s Office and other ministries and Qatar, following the revelation of the “Qatar-Gate” affair. In addition, Shin Bet is involved in investigating additional serious affairs related to the Prime Minister’s Office, including the leaking of classified documents and suspicions of altering protocols at the beginning of the war.
“Firing the Shin Bet head while he is conducting an investigation for grave conduct in the Prime Minister’s Office, while harming national security at a time of war, may also amount to an act of extreme unreasonableness, which is punishable by law,” the appeal states.
The Movement emphasizes that the decision to dismiss Bar and the intention to convene the government for this purpose constitute a blatant violation of the Prime Minister’s conflict of interest agreement, which has been given the force of a High Court of Justice ruling. According to the agreement the prime minister is prohibited from involvement in decisions concerning the law enforcement system.
Adv Rotem Bavli Dvir, head of the legal department, the Movement for Quality Government in Israel: “We are witnessing an unprecedented move in its severity, in which the prime minister openly violates the attorney general’s instructions and blatantly ignores the rules of administrative law. An attempt to dismiss the head of Shin Bet at the height of a sensitive investigation concerning the Prime Minister’s Office was taken in an extreme conflict of interest and tainted with extraneous and improper considerations. We call on government ministers not to be party to this decision, and demand that the attorney general take all legal measures to prevent this unlawful move.”
