In an extraordinary and unprecedented move, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet voted unanimously in the early hours of Friday morning to dismiss Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar. The ousting of Bar—the first-ever dismissal of a Shin Bet director in Israeli history—has sent shockwaves through the country, with critics decrying it as a dangerous power grab and a potential obstruction of justice, while supporters praised it as a necessary step to restore confidence in national security leadership. However, on Friday, Israel’s High Court intervened, issuing an injunction that temporarily freezes Bar’s dismissal pending a full legal review. Bar’s final day was initially set for April 10, though Netanyahu’s government had hinted at forcing him out even sooner if a replacement were secured.
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