Thousands of Israelis have taken to the streets in recent days to demand a new hostage deal and to protest against the political moves made by the far-right religious government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Protesters marched in Jerusalem to condemn Netanyahu’s dismissal of Ronen Bar, the head of Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security service. The prime minister had earlier stated that he had lost confidence in Bar. The government “unanimously approved” Netanyahu’s proposal to terminate Bar’s term in office by April 10. Bar warned that firing the director of Israel’s security service “reeks of foreign interests” and is an “unprecedented conflict of interest.”
Protests have also criticized the renewed Israeli offensive in Gaza, which ended a two-month temporary ceasefire. Netanyahu’s decision to resume bombardments has killed and injured hundreds of Palestinians and called into question the release of remaining hostages.
Netanyahu has been maneuvering between far-right threats, political survival, and demands from many Israelis who want the return of hostages to take precedence over the total defeat of Hamas. There was a sense among Israelis that Bar’s dismissal was linked to Shin Bet’s investigations into its failures before and on the day of the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023. Shin Bet also opened an investigation into alleged links between senior advisors in the prime minister’s office and Qatar, a major financial backer of Hamas.
Israeli Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara has opposed Netanyahu’s plan to dismiss Bar, saying that the prime minister cannot proceed without a “factual and legal” basis. In response, Netanyahu has accused Baharav-Miara of abusing her authority and officials say she could be fired next.
Like some other Israeli security officials, Bar had taken responsibility for the agency’s failure to prevent the October 7 Hamas attacks and said he would resign before the end of his term. However, most Israelis are uncomfortable with the reasons for his dismissal. The timing of Bar’s dismissal “reeks of politics” and is seen as an odd coincidence with the return of Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir to the government shortly after airstrikes in Gaza resumes.
The renewed Israeli offensive and Netanyahu’s strategy of maximum pressure on Hamas have shattered the hopes of many hostage families. Former hostages have also criticized the new offensive, saying that Hamas propaganda videos showing them as signs of life must not become their final videos because of the return to fighting. Many released hostages testified how their conditions worsened in direct relation to the actions of the Israeli government and believed that the government needs to prioritize the return of hostages over confronting Hamas.
Source: https://www.dw.com/en/israel-netanyahu-faces-backlash-over-gaza-security-service/a-71992687?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf
