Der Vernichtungskrieg gegen die Hamas und Gaza sei alternativlos und aus Notwehr erfolgt, behauptet Israels Ministerpräsident Netanjahu. Was aber, wenn sich der Terroranschlag vom 7. Oktober 2023 hätte verhindern lassen? Vieles spricht dafür, dass seine rechtsgerichtete Regierung die Dinge hat geschehen lassen. Müsste die Geschichte dann nicht umgeschrieben werden, fragt sich Ralf Wurzbacher.
Archiv: Shin Bet (spy agency Israel)
Israel Knew Hamas’s Attack Plan More Than a Year Ago
(November 30, 2023)
The document circulated widely among Israeli military and intelligence leaders, but experts determined that an attack of that scale and ambition was beyond Hamas’s capabilities, according to documents and officials. It is unclear whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or other top political leaders saw the document, as well.
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Last year, shortly after the document was obtained, officials in the Israeli military’s Gaza division, which is responsible for defending the border with Gaza, said that Hamas’s intentions were unclear.
“It is not yet possible to determine whether the plan has been fully accepted and how it will be manifested,” read a military assessment reviewed by The Times.
Press Netanyahu to end Gaza war, former Israeli defense chiefs ask Trump in letter
These top officials, along with top former police and foreign ministry officials, lead the Commanders for Israel’s Security (CIS) group – which now makes up over 600 former senior security officials – in making that call on Trump to intervene.
‚End Gaza war‘: 600 ex-Israeli security officials urge Trump
Over 600 retired Israeli security officials, including former heads of intelligence agencies, have urged United States President Donald Trump to pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s government to end the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
The appeal was made in an open letter released on Monday.
The signatories included former chiefs of Shin Bet and Mossad, who argued that „Hamas no longer poses a strategic threat to Israel.“
Hundreds of Israeli ex-security officials call on Trump to end Gaza war
Hundreds of retired Israeli security officials urged US President Donald Trump on Monday to pressure the Israeli government into ending the war in Gaza, saying Hamas no longer poses a strategic threat and calling on the US leader to help „steer“ their country towards a ceasefire.
Far-Right Govt Crack Down on Freedom of Press and Coverage of War Damage in Israel
The move, which targets major international outlets such as Al Jazeera, CNN, France 24 and The New York Times, empowers the police, the Government Press Office (GPO), and the military censor to enforce stricter controls on foreign reporting of war-related damage inside Israel. According to the directive, enforcement will apply regardless of the media outlet for which the footage is being filmed. Police documented themselves obstructing camera views – images which were later aired, suggesting coordination between field officers and intelligence units. The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) has since become involved in enforcement.
The crackdown follows incidents on Tuesday in Beer Sheva, Holon, and Ramat Gan, where police arrived at rocket impact sites, confiscated camera equipment, and confronted journalists broadcasting live footage that appeared on Al Jazeera screens globally.
The enforcement has already reached Haifa. Early Tuesday morning, police knocked on the door of a hotel room overlooking the city’s bay area, where two foreign photographers were staying, and confiscated their equipment. According to police, the action followed a tip that individuals intended to record from a balcony facing Haifa Port.
Netanyahu, Trump conclude talk on Iran
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke Monday evening with US President Donald Trump about the Iranian issue. Following the conversation, Netanyahu is expected to convene a closed-door security meeting with several senior officials: Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, Mossad Director David Barnea, Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa‘ar, and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer.
Former Israeli minister accuses Netanyahu of arming jihadists in Gaza
In response, Netanyahu‘s office said: „Israel is working to defeat Hamas in various ways, on the recommendation of all heads of the security establishment.“
In recent months there have been several reports that Israel is suspected of supporting, or turning a blind eye to, armed gangs that loot aid and food depots in Gaza.
Several Israeli news websites reported on Thursday that the armed gang is led by Yasser Abu Shabab, a member of a large clan in southern Gaza.
Israel opposition leader says Netanyahu arming ‚equivalent of Isis‘ gangs in Gaza
„Israel has provided assault rifles and light weapons to crime families in Gaza, on Netanyahu‘s orders,“ Lieberman, the head of the Yisrael Beiteinu party and a former finance minister and deputy prime minister, told Israeli public broadcaster Kan on Thursday.
„The weapons are being transferred to criminals and offenders and are being directed at Israel.
„In my opinion, it did not pass cabinet approval. The head of the Shin Bet knows, I‘m not sure the chief of staff knows. We‘re talking about the equivalent of Isis in Gaza,“ he added, referencing the Islamic State group.
Netanyahu Ignores Attorney-General And Court, Appoints New Shin Bet Director
(May 22, 2025)
Just yesterday, the Supreme Court ruled by a 2-1 majority that Ronen Bar’s dismissal was tainted by a conflict of interest, particularly due to the Qatargate affair. Although Bar announced he would leave “voluntarily,” Netanyahu had initially sought to remove him, but retracted under legal pressure. Following the court’s ruling, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara instructed Netanyahu to refrain from involvement in appointing Bar’s successor.
Despite this, Netanyahu announced the new appointment today, openly defying the AG’s directive.
Israel Supreme Court rules firing of security agency chief ‘unlawful’ amid political firestorm
(May 22, 2025)
Israel’s High Court of Justice ruled Wednesday that the cabinet’s dismissal of Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar was “improper” and “unlawful.” The court found the firing lacked valid justification and was based on a “thin and shaky factual foundation.”
Expanding on the court’s reasoning, court president Justice Isaac Amit condemned the government’s failure to consult the Senior Appointments Advisory Committee.
Israel Knew Hamas’s Attack Plan More Than a Year Ago
(November 30, 2023)
The document circulated widely among Israeli military and intelligence leaders, but experts determined that an attack of that scale and ambition was beyond Hamas’s capabilities, according to documents and officials. It is unclear whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or other top political leaders saw the document, as well.
(…)
Last year, shortly after the document was obtained, officials in the Israeli military’s Gaza division, which is responsible for defending the border with Gaza, said that Hamas’s intentions were unclear.
“It is not yet possible to determine whether the plan has been fully accepted and how it will be manifested,” read a military assessment reviewed by The Times.
Israeli security chief says he’ll step down June 15, facing pressure from Netanyahu
But it’s unclear if Bar’s tenure will last that long. On March 21, the Israeli cabinet unanimously voted to dismiss Bar from his position as the head of the Israel Security Agency, commonly known as the Shin Bet.
Bar’s dismissal was to take effect on April 10, but Israel’s High Court froze the firing, enraging Netanyahu and his right-wing allies, who can still mount an effort to fire Bar before the self-announced retirement date.
High Court grants Israeli PM Netanyahu extension to submit affidavit about Shin Bet chief‘s dismissal
Legally, submitting an affidavit is equivalent to providing binding testimony in court and, in exceptional cases, can also open the door to cross-examination.
This past Monday, Ronen Bar submitted a sharply critical affidavit to the High Court against the government and Netanyahu. In it, he claimed that the prime minister made „illegal requests“ at the end of work meetings, after asking that recording devices be turned off.
Calling for a New Criminal Investigation into Prime Minister Netanyahu
NIF grantee Zulat, an Israeli think tank advancing liberal values recently issued a formal call to Israel’s attorney general, state prosecutor, and police commissioner to open a new criminal investigation into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for possible obstruction of justice, misuse of the power and breach of trust.
The call comes on the heels of revelations of a new affidavit submitted to the High Court by Shin Bet security service chief Ronen Bar to stave off his dismissal.
‘Out of deep concern for the State of Israel’: Full text of Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar’s affidavit
– I authorized, following a request from the IDF Chief of Staff, the opening of an investigation into the theft of classified military documents and their transfer to media outlets.
– I refused to draft a legal opinion whose aim was effectively to prevent the possibility of the Prime Minister continuing to testify in his trial.
– The draft of the internal Shin Bet review was submitted to the Prime Minister. It refers to the service’s failure to prevent the massacre, while also presenting the long-standing policy of the political leadership regarding the Gaza Strip and the exceptional and repeated warnings delivered by the Shin Bet to the political echelon throughout 2023 – which were ignored.
– A letter was attached to the review, addressed to the Prime Minister, explaining how Hamas’s military buildup occurred before the eyes of the State of Israel, funded by Qatar and enabled by a defensive policy, and highlighting the need for a state commission of inquiry to investigate all aspects of the road that led to October 7.
Israels Spionagechef erhebt schwere Vorwürfe gegen Premierminister Netanjahu
Ferner heißt es in der Erklärung, Bar habe es abgelehnt, Maßnahmen zu ergreifen, welche zu Verzögerungen in einem gegen Netanjahu laufenden Korruptionsprozess geführt hätten. Dies sei auch der wahre Grund für seine vom Obersten Gericht gestoppte Entlassung als Geheimdienstchef, ließ Bar verlautbaren. Zudem beschuldigte Bar den Premier, von ihm persönliche Loyalität verlangt zu haben. Es bestand keine Zweifel daran, dass Bar im Falle einer Verfassungskrise Netanjahu und nicht dem Obersten Gerichtshof hätte dienen müssen, heißt es in der Erklärung.
Die Generalstaatsanwaltschaft publizierte das brisante Dokument Bars.
At High Court, petitioner acuses Netanyahu of trying to turn Shin Bet into ‘the Stasi’
Head of the Movement for Quality Government in Israel, attorney Eliad Shraga, accuses the prime minister and the government of trying to turn the Shin Bet domestic security agency into “the Stasi,” the feared secret police force in Communist East Germany.
Addressing the High Court of Justice in the hearing over the government’s firing of Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, Shraga also alleges that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seeks to install a new head of the service who would be specifically loyal to him.
Qatari lobbyist reportedly used WhatsApp group to coordinate with Netanyahu aides
(April 2, 2025)
After Israeli businessman Gil Birger revealed that Qatari lobbyist Jay Footlik had asked him to pay Netanyahu aide Eli Feldstein for his work on behalf of Qatar, Feldstein insisted that the funds were actually for his work for the Prime Minister’s Office.
However, Channel 12 reveals the existence of a WhatsApp group between Footlik, Feldstein and Yisrael Einhorn — Urich’s partner at a PR firm who also served as a campaign adviser for Netanyahu.
High Court sets April 8 date to hear petitions against Shin Bet chief’s dismissal
The petitions will be heard by a panel consisting of Supreme Court President Isaac Amit, incoming Deputy Supreme Court President Noam Sohlberg and Justice Daphne Barak-Erez.
The three are the most senior justices on the bench. Both Amit and Barak-Erez are liberals, while Sohlberg is a staunch conservative.
Israel anti-government protests flare after dismissal of top security agency chief
Thousands of Israelis demonstrated in Tel Aviv on Saturday against the decision by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s government to dismiss the head of the Shin Bet domestic intelligence service and resume fighting in Gaza.
Netanyahu said this week he had lost confidence in Ronen Bar, who has led Shin Bet since 2021, and intended to fire him effective April 10, prompting three days of protests.
Mass Protests in Jerusalem, Big Employers Warn that They Will ‘Shut Down the Economy’
Histadrut labor union chief Arnon Bar-David warns that he won’t sit idly if the government doesn’t abide by High Court rulings after ministers dismissed the injunction issued by the top legal body. However, Bar-David doesn’t explicitly say that he’ll launch a labor strike if the government ignores the High Court, but …
Netanyahu leads Israel into constitutional crisis days after shattering ceasefire
Defence minister‘s threats to annex Gaza distract from legislative coup d‘état at home
Cabinet schedules ‘no-confidence’ motion Sunday against AG, starting process of firing her
Document published by justice minister, hours after government voted to oust Shin Bet chief, calls Gali Baharav-Miara ‘long arm of the opposition,’ says she runs a tyrannical authority
Netanyahu says government ‘will decide’ new intel chief, ignoring court freeze
srael‘s Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara said earlier Friday that the prime minister was not allowed to appoint a new internal security agency chief after the government decided to sack Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar.
„According to the decision of the Supreme Court, it is prohibited to take any action that harms the position of the head of the Shin Bet, Ronen Bar,“ she said in a message to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu published by a spokesperson. „It is prohibited to appoint a new head of Shin Bet, and interviews for the position should not be held.“
‘There will be no civil war,’ Netanyahu tweets; insists gov’t decides who heads the Shin Bet
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tweets, “There will be no civil war!” hours after Israel’s most revered jurist, former Supreme Court president Aharon Barak, expressed his fear that the country is heading in that direction due to the government’s recent efforts to fire the head of the Shin Bet security agency and the attorney general.
“The State of Israel is a country of law and according to the law, the Israeli government decides who will be the head of the Shin Bet,” Netanyahu tweets, before adding, “Shabbat Shalom.”
After injunction against Bar’s dismissal, Ben Gvir demands ‘judicial overhaul now!’
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir responds to the High Court’s temporary injunction against the dismissal of Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar with a post on X reading: “Judicial overhaul now!”
Ben Gvir was reinstated to his post earlier this week when his Otzma Yehudit party returned to the government following Israel’s resumed offensive in the Gaza Strip.
High Court issues temporary injunction against dismissal of Shin Bet chief
The order will remain in place until the court can hear the petitions that have been filed against his dismissal.
It says it will hear the petitions no later than April 8.
The government voted overnight to remove Bar from his position by April 10 at the latest.
Israeli Cabinet Approves Ouster of Shin Bet Chief, Who Calls the Move Illegal
The attempt to fire Mr. Bar is likely to be contested in the country’s Supreme Court.
Ousting Shin Bet chief: Netanyahu‘s maneuver to avoid scrutiny over October 7 – analysis
The real issues are: Who is to blame for failing to prevent Hamas’s October 7 invasion, will the failures be fixed, and will the Shin Bet be turned into a loyalty agency that looks the other way when Jewish extremists perpetrate violence against West Bank Palestinians, as many observers say happened to the police under National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, which is to say under Netanyahu.
Bar says firing him a ‘fundamentally invalid’ attempt to undermine Shin Bet as it probes Qatar’s influence on PM’s office
Dismissing the Shin Bet head during the investigation, Bar argues, is tainted with “extraneous considerations and a personal and institutional conflict of interest that could not be more serious.” It risks jeopardizing the investigation, he says, which is a danger to the country’s security.
He also pushes for a state commission of inquiry into October 7: “The urgent national need for such an investigation cannot be subordinated to the personal considerations of those involved in the matter, as it is the only way to ensure that such a multi-system failure will not occur again.”
Context: his closest advisor, the person who knows everything about him, is now suspected of espionage and money laundering.
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Defying AG, cabinet schedules Thursday night vote to fire Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar
The announcement was made despite a letter sent to the government by the Attorney General’s Office earlier in the day, which stated that the government must obtain a recommendation from an advisory committee before weighing Bar’s dismissal.
Citing a cabinet resolution from 2016, the office said that the Senior Appointments Advisory Committee must sign off on the dismissal of anyone from seven different senior civil service positions, including the head of the Shin Bet.