The dispute between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar over responsibility for the October 7, 2023, attack has entered a new phase with Bar’s decision to file a lawsuit.
Bar announced that he would file a defamation lawsuit against Netanyahu and said he would seek the publication of the schedules of the prime minister’s meetings with security agencies and foreign officials. The former Shin Bet chief also said he would request that officials and advisers from the prime minister’s office testify as witnesses.
Bar accuses Netanyahu
Ronen Bar argued that Netanyahu had waged an unfounded and relentless campaign of incitement against him. He alleged that Netanyahu had refused to accept responsibility for three years, prevented the public from establishing an official commission of inquiry and published documents out of context.
Bar said he had warned Netanyahu before the October 7 attack that an unprecedented disaster was approaching. He alleged that Netanyahu had ignored those warnings, as well as recommendations to restore deterrence and strengthen the borders.
Bar said he had chosen to wait for the commission of inquiry deserved by the public and the families of those who lost their lives, but added that he could no longer allow lies about him and distortions of the truth. He said he would ask the court in the planned lawsuit to summon as witnesses those who had distorted or falsified documents, as well as people who had published false or defamatory information about him.
Netanyahu’s accusations against Bar
Bar’s statement followed Netanyahu’s accusations that the former Shin Bet chief had ignored warnings before October 7 and failed to brief him. Bar served as Shin Bet chief from 2021 to 2025.
Netanyahu alleged that Bar held numerous meetings on the day before the attack with then-Chief of Staff Hertzi Halevi and Aharon Haliva, the head of the Military Intelligence Directorate. Netanyahu claimed that indicators pointing to an attack were discussed at those meetings, but that Bar did not call to brief him.
Netanyahu also argued that Bar had failed to warn the field alert teams and army units and had not evacuated the Nova music festival held in the Re’im community near Gaza. He claimed that Bar’s dispatch of only a small Tequila team showed that he was aware of the impending danger.
Netanyahu denied the allegation that he had met with Abbas Kamel, then head of Egypt’s General Intelligence Service, in the months preceding the attack.
The October 7 attack remains at the center of political debate
On October 7, 2023, Hamas attacked military bases and communities around the Gaza Strip. Israelis were killed and taken hostage in the attack.
Whether Netanyahu bears responsibility for part of the security, military and intelligence failures on October 7 remains one of the main disputes between the opposition bloc and Netanyahu’s political camp.
The mutual accusations between the two sides are among the prominent issues on the political agenda ahead of the general election scheduled for October 27.
