JERUSALEM – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has denied allegations that he authorized Israel’s internal security chief, Ronen Bar, to investigate far-right national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir without his approval. The accusations emerged after the Supreme Court blocked Bar’s dismissal, intensifying political tensions.
“The claim that the prime minister authorized Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar to gather evidence against minister Ben Gvir is yet another exposed lie,” Netanyahu stated in an official release.
The controversy follows reports suggesting that Bar’s agency had been investigating far-right infiltration within the police and its potential ties to Ben Gvir. Netanyahu’s office condemned the alleged investigation, describing the directive as reminiscent of authoritarian regimes.
“The published document, which contains an explicit directive from the Shin Bet chief to gather evidence against political leaders, undermines democracy and aims to topple a right-wing government,” the statement added.
Ben Gvir, reacting on X, labeled Bar a “criminal” and a “liar,” accusing him of conspiring against elected officials in a democratic nation. He further claimed that the exposed documents revealed Bar’s true intentions to the public.
The political crisis deepened on Friday when Israel’s Supreme Court froze the government’s unprecedented decision to remove Bar. The move came shortly after Netanyahu expressed a loss of confidence in the security chief, a stance backed by his right-wing government.
The fallout reflects growing divisions within Israel’s political landscape, with concerns over democratic stability and the balance of power continuing to dominate public discourse.