Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced his decision to dismiss the head of the Israeli internal security agency, Shin Bet, Ronen Bar, citing a "lack of trust" between them.
Netanyahu stated that he would present the decision to the cabinet for approval this week.
According to a statement from Netanyahu's office, the prime minister summoned Bar to his office and informed him of the plan to propose his dismissal during a special cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
Netanyahu justified the move by saying that in times of war, full trust between the prime minister and the head of Shin Bet is essential. However, he claimed that his trust in Bar had eroded over time.
The Israeli Channel 14 reported that the vote on Bar's dismissal is scheduled for this Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Israeli Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara had previously warned Netanyahu that he must consult her office before taking such action to ensure there are no "improper motives" behind the decision. However, reports suggest Netanyahu bypassed this requirement.
Israeli media outlets, including the Times of Israel, revealed that Netanyahu has been working for months to remove Bar, aiming to shift the blame for the failures of the October 7 Hamas attack from the political leadership to the security apparatus.
Bar, who has faced growing criticism for security failures during the Hamas-led assault, refused to resign. He insisted he would remain in his position until all hostages held in Gaza are returned and an official investigative committee is formed to examine the failures that led to the attack.
The October 7 incident, which resulted in the deaths of over 1,200 Israelis and the capture of dozens of hostages, exposed significant flaws in Israel's intelligence and security system.
An internal investigation within Shin Bet acknowledged these failures, further intensifying the tensions between Bar and Netanyahu.
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