Israeli opposition questions loyalty of new Shin Bet nominee amid court freeze on dismissal

By Ahmed Asmar

ANKARA (AA) - Israeli opposition leaders raised serious concerns Monday over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s appointment of a new head for the country’s internal security service, Shin Bet, despite a court ruling temporarily freezing the dismissal of its former chief Ronen Bar.

Netanyahu announced retired Israeli Navy commander Eli Sharvit as the next Shin Bet director early Monday, even as the Israeli Supreme Court’s injunction bars the termination of Bar’s tenure until April 8. The court, however, permitted the prime minister to interview potential replacements.

The move has drawn sharp criticism from across the political spectrum, intensifying fears of a constitutional crisis.

Main opposition leader Benny Gantz acknowledged Sharvit’s experience but said the appointment “must be made only after a Supreme Court decision” on Bar’s dismissal. Gantz warned that Netanyahu’s actions reflect “a continued campaign against the judicial system” and risk pushing Israel into a dangerous political confrontation and a constitutional crisis.

Avigdor Liberman, leader of the Yisrael Beytenu party, echoed the concern in an interview with public broadcaster KAN, saying the nomination “raises many questions.”

Yair Golan, head of The Democrats — a party uniting the left-wing Labor and Meretz factions — stressed that Sharvit must prove loyalty to the state and its laws, not to Netanyahu.

“His appointment by a prime minister who has launched an attack on the rule of law and democratic Israel poses a huge challenge to him,” Golan wrote on social media platform X.

Netanyahu’s government moved on March 21 to end Bar’s tenure effective April 10, unless a permanent successor is named beforehand. The prime minister defended the decision, citing a lack of trust stemming from Bar’s handling of the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas that triggered Israel’s ongoing genocidal war in Gaza.

The attempt to dismiss Bar marks the first time an Israeli government has sought to remove a Shin Bet chief. Netanyahu has insisted the decision lies within the executive’s authority and should not be subject to judicial review.

Bar has hinted at political motivations behind his removal, suggesting Netanyahu was seeking “personal loyalty” that he would not provide.

Meanwhile, mass protests have erupted across Israel in response to the move, with demonstrators accusing Netanyahu of undermining democratic institutions and attempting to consolidate personal power.