Netanyahu seeks to dismiss Israel’s internal security chief as power struggle boils over

JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday he will seek to dismiss the head of the country’s internal security service this week, deepening a power struggle focused largely on who bears responsibility for the Hamas terrorist attack that sparked the war in Gaza.

Netanyahu’s effort to remove Ronen Bar as director of the Shin Bet comes as the security service investigates close aides of the prime minister. Netanyahu said he has had “ongoing distrust” with Bar, and “this distrust has grown over time.”

Bar responded by saying he planned to continue in the post for the near future, citing “personal obligations” to finish “sensitive investigations,” free the remaining hostages in Gaza and prepare potential successors.

But Bar emphasized that he would respect any legal decision regarding his tenure.

Israel’s attorney general said Netanyahu must clarify the legal basis for his decision before taking any action.

The Shin Bet is responsible for monitoring Palestinian groups, and recently issued a report accepting responsibility for its failures around the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attack. It also criticized Netanyahu, saying failed government policies helped create the climate that led to it.

Netanyahu has resisted calls for an official state commission of inquiry into the Oct. 7 attack and has blamed the failures on the army and security agencies. In recent months, a number of senior security officials, including a defense minister and army chief, have been fired or forced to step down.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid said he would appeal Bar’s dismissal, calling the resolution “shameful” and politically motivated.