Israel’s Supreme Court convened on Tuesday morning to discuss the petitions filed against the dismissal of the Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar. The fact that the court has even agreed to discuss the petitions is controversial as Israeli law grants the prime minister and the government undisputed authority to fire the Shin Bet chief. The justices serving on the case are Supreme Court President Yitzchak Amit, a liberal whose authority as president has been challenged by Justice Minister Yariv Levin and other government members, liberal justice Daphne Baraz-Erez, and Deputy President Noam Sohlberg, considered a conservative. Since Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara, as usual, is opposing the government decision despite her clear conflict of interest in the matter, the government’s position is being represented by Adv. Tzion Amir. As the hearing began, bereaved father Yitzchak Bontzel, whose son Itzik, H’yd, was killed in the war in Gaza, interrupted the proceedings, berating the court for the hearing the petitions, saying that Bar, whose hands are dripping in blood, claimed responsiblity for the October 7 massacre so there is no justificiaton to discuss the petitions. He said that because of Ronen Bar, “our children are on Har Herzl.” “Who are you protecting here?” Bontzel cried. “A man who is responsible for the great failure in the State of Israel. Har Herzl is full of the blood of our children…listen to us, the bereaved parents. We are at a time of war, the blood of our sons is crying out! This man said I have sinned, I have failed. How can it be that he remains in office for another minute?” Others who oppose the court’s decision to hear the petitions crowded the courtroom, yelling “Busha! Busha! and “You don’t have authority!” Following the lengthy interruption, Amit called for a break in the hearing. After a discussion on the order of the proceedings, Amit decided that the hearing would be held without an audience in order to prevent disruptions. Those present in the court were forcibly removed. The hearing is being broadcast live. Bontzel is forcibly removed from the courtroom: (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)