Israel Court Rules Shin Bet Chief Firing Unlawful

Israel's Supreme Court ruled that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s dismissal of Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar was improper and unlawful, citing procedural irregularities and a lack of formal hearing or factual basis. Netanyahu initially justified firing Bar by citing security failures during the October 7 Hamas attack, but the court noted his conflict of interest given Shin Bet investigations into his aides in the Qatargate affair. Bar claimed he was pressured to act against anti-government demonstrators and to shield Netanyahu from testifying in a corruption trial, both of which he refused. After Bar announced his resignation, the government reversed its dismissal decision, but the court still emphasized the unlawful process. The ruling, while deemed largely moot due to Bar's resignation, has fueled mass protests and intensified debate over the independence of Israel's state institutions. The controversy highlights escalating tensions between Israel's judiciary and executive branches amid ongoing political turmoil.