Far-right Israeli Minister Ben-Gvir calls Shin Bet boss a ‘criminal’
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has accused Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar of being a liar, a thug, and a criminal days after the Supreme Court issued an injunction temporarily freezing his dismissal.
“He should be in prison,” Ben-Gvir told the Maariv newspaper.
He claimed the head of the domestic intelligence agency spied on him and other ministers. “Issuing instructions by the head of Shin Bet to spy on me and search for evidence against me is a coup,” added Ben-Gvir.
Prime Minister Netanyahu announced last week he’d lost confidence in Bar and intended to dismiss him. Demonstrations have been held against the sacking this week, with critics seeing it as an attempt to undermine state institutions.
Bar – who was investigating alleged corruption in Netanyahu’s government – accused the prime minister of intentionally sabotaging the Gaza ceasefire deal.
Israel PM accuses Shin Bet boss of probing Ben-Gvir without consent
Netanyahu has accused Israel’s internal security chief, whose dismissal was blocked by the Supreme Court, of investigating far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir without his consent.
“The claim that the prime minister authorised Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar to gather evidence against minister Itamar Ben-Gvir is yet another exposed lie,” Netanyahu said.
He was responding to a news report that Bar spent months secretly investigating far-right infiltration of the Israeli police and its links to Ben-Gvir.
Isn't that what the security service is for?
