Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel was anticipated to officially dismiss the head of the Shin Bet domestic intelligence agency on Thursday, notwithstanding street protests that are escalating.

The Israeli cabinet was scheduled to convene for a late-night vote regarding the dismissal of Shin Bet chief, Ronen Bar, days following Netanyahu’s announcement that he intended to remove him, citing a lack of personal trust between them. This move comes as Israel’s military is undertaking a campaign in Gaza, which has raised worries among many Israelis regarding the fate of hostages still detained in the region.

The Shin Bet plays a critical role in Israel’s efforts against Hamas in Gaza by providing intelligence and identifying targets. Moreover, by law, the agency holds the responsibility of safeguarding Israeli democracy.

The disagreement between Netanyahu and Bar is emblematic of a more extensive controversy surrounding the nature and future of Israel’s democracy. Critics of Netanyahu’s ruling coalition, the most right-wing and religiously conservative in Israel’s history, contend that it aims to weaken the independence of state watchdogs and to remove checks on government authority, which holds a slim majority in Parliament.

The decision to fire Bar based on personal trust has also spiked public worries that future appointments might be prioritized based on loyalty to the prime minister.

Bar, who has led the agency since 2021, issued a rare public statement after Netanyahu’s announcement, arguing that the expectation of “personal trust” was against the public interest.

It’s a fundamentally flawed expectation that is in contravention with the Shin Bet law and statesmanship,” Bar stated.

Thousands of citizens protested in Jerusalem prior to the decision, with more demonstrations envisioned for Thursday. These protests recall the 2023 demonstrations against the government’s attempts to curtail the judiciary’s power and its ability to act as a check on the government, which saw business leaders joining labor unions in a national strike.

Netanyahu and his allies have accused the judiciary and independent branches of overreach, arguing that it hinders the government’s ability to implement decisions and to reflect the will of voters.

Netanyahu, who faces police scrutiny and a corruption trial, denies any wrongdoings, and frequently accuses a liberal “deep state” of conducting a witch hunt against him and his family.

Bar’s investigation into officials in the prime minister’s office over allegations of leaking secret documents and collaborating with interests linked to Qatar, an Arab state with ties to Hamas, had irritated Netanyahu. Netanyahu denies any wrongdoing; the Qatari government has not responded to comments on the subject.

Empowered both domestically and in Gaza by the strong support of the U.S. administration, Netanyahu aligned with President Trump in a direct social media entry late Wednesday.

“In America and in Israel, when a strong right wing leader wins an election, the leftist Deep State weaponizes the justice system to thwart the people’s will,” he posted, “They won’t win in either place! We stand strong together.”

Elon Musk responded with a red “100” emoji, showcasing agreement with Netanyahu.