Shin Bet Chief Defends Intelligence Operations

Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar has forcefully rejected allegations by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and others that Israel’s internal security service failed to warn the government ahead of Hamas’s October 7 attack. In a formal affidavit submitted to the High Court of Justice, Bar detailed his actions on the night of October 6 and the early hours of October 7, while dismissing claims of a cover-up as "institutional incitement" against him and the agency.

Bar acknowledged operational failures in assessing Hamas’s intentions but insisted that Netanyahu and other security officials were kept informed. He also revealed that the Shin Bet had repeatedly warned the government in 2023 that internal divisions over the judicial overhaul were emboldening Israel’s enemies, urging preemptive strikes to preserve deterrence.

In July 2023, Bar said he issued an unprecedented "war alert" to Netanyahu, underscoring the deteriorating security situation. Despite these warnings, he admitted that intelligence agencies misjudged the scale of Hamas’s impending assault.

Timeline of Events on October 6-7

At 11 p.m. on October 6, Bar said he alerted the Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF) Gaza Division and Southern Command after detecting "unusual but not unambiguous" activity. By 3:03 a.m. on October 7, security agencies received a formal warning about Hamas’s "unusual preparations and possible offensive intentions"—though Bar conceded the alert’s severity was insufficient.

He arrived at Shin Bet headquarters by 4:30 a.m. and instructed Netanyahu’s military secretary to be briefed at 5:15 a.m.

"It is with pain that I emphasize that no one anticipated an attack of this magnitude, certainly not that morning," Bar wrote. However, he firmly denied accusations that the Shin Bet withheld information or prioritized evacuating its own personnel, stating: "The attack was not coordinated by us... and nothing was hidden from the security establishment or the prime minister."

Broader Clash: Allegations of Political Interference

The affidavit also contained explosive accusations against Netanyahu, alleging that the prime minister demanded Bar’s personal loyalty and pressured him to surveil anti-government protesters. Bar claimed Netanyahu expected him to side with the government over the Supreme Court in a constitutional crisis and repeatedly pushed for Shin Bet to investigate protest funders.

Netanyahu’s attempt to oust Bar last month sparked widespread backlash, with critics calling it an authoritarian overreach. The Supreme Court has temporarily blocked the dismissal, ordering further negotiations after a contentious April 8 hearing. Israeli media reports suggest Bar may soon resign.

The attorney general’s office released Bar’s affidavit, which also confirmed that Netanyahu sought his help in delaying testimony for the prime minister’s ongoing corruption trial.

For now, the court has ruled that Bar remains in his post pending a final decision, while allowing the government to interview potential successors.