Shin Bet Chief Ronen Bar Resigns Amid October 7 Criticism

Ronen Bar, the chief of Israel’s Shin Bet security agency, announced his resignation, citing personal responsibility for the agency's failure to prevent the October 7 Hamas attack. Bar acknowledged that the Shin Bet did not provide advance warning of the attack and called for a state commission of inquiry into the intelligence failures. His decision has drawn praise from opposition leaders, who framed it as an act of accountability and contrasted it with Prime Minister Netanyahu’s refusal to step down. Members of Netanyahu’s coalition, however, criticized Bar, asserting that he had already been dismissed and accusing him of undermining the government. The controversy follows months of conflict between Bar and Netanyahu, including the prime minister’s previous attempt to oust Bar, which was temporarily blocked by Israel’s Supreme Court. Bar stated he will step down in June 2025 to allow for an orderly transition.