Israeli police to question ex-spy chief over alleged threats against Netanyahu
Police will summon former Shin Bet head Nadav Argaman, according to the Israeli media.
As we mentioned earlier, Argaman said last week that he had information that would compromise the prime minister and threatened to make it public if Netanyahu breaks the law.
Argaman did not make clear what acts he was speaking of.
After Argaman made the remarks in a TV interview, Netanyahu filed a complaint with police alleging that the former spy chief was “threatening and blackmailing” him.
Israeli politicians react to Netanyahu’s decision to remove Shin Bet chief
Statements from Israeli politicians have been rolling in since the news emerged that Netanyahu would move to dismiss the head of the Shin Bet, Ronen Bar.
Netanyahu blamed an “ongoing lack of trust” between the two.
Opposition politicians Benny Gantz and Yair Golan both blasted Netanyahu.
Gantz – who served in Netanyahu’s war cabinet until he resigned in June last year – said that the firing of Bar was “a direct violation of the state’s security and the dismantling of unity in Israeli society for political and personal reasons”.
Golan said it was “a desperate attempt by a criminal defendant to get rid of someone who is loyal to Israel and who is investigating Netanyahu and his close circle for serious and dark offences and is not willing to whitewash them”.
And former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak said that Netanyahu had “gone off the rails” and was “rebelling against the rule of law”.
But Netanyahu did get some backing from his former national security minister, the far-right Itamar Ben-Gvir.
“I congratulate the prime minister on the decision to fire the head of the Shin Bet,” said Ben-Gvir. “This is something I have been demanding for a long time, and better late than never.”
Israeli attorney general says Shin Bet head can’t be fired without legal process
The Times of Israel reports that Gali Baharav-Miara has sent an official letter to the prime minister explaining that “it is not possible to initiate a dismissal process” of Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar “until the factual and legal basis underlying your decision is fully examined, as well as your authority to address the matter at this time”.
The newspaper quoted her as saying: “This is due to the extraordinary sensitivity of the issue, its unprecedented nature, the concern that the process may be tainted by illegality and conflict of interest, and considering that the role of the head of the Shin Bet is not a personal trust position serving the prime minister.”
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