Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel appointed a new chief of the domestic intelligence service on Monday, signifying a potential confrontation with the Supreme Court, which had temporarily suspended the dismissal of the current spy chief earlier this month.
Eli Sharvit, a former head of the Navy, will succeed Ronen Bar, the existing head of the Shin Bet, Israel’s domestic spy agency. Mr. Netanyahu’s cabinet had previously decided in March that Mr. Bar would be dismissed early, contingent upon the installation of a successor.
The appointment on Monday narrowly avoided a constitutional crisis. Officials indicated that Mr. Sharvit's installation would be postponed until the Supreme Court holds a hearing on April 8 regarding the legality of Mr. Bar’s dismissal.
This situation has escalated concerns among Mr. Netanyahu’s critics, who fear he is attempting to extend his power beyond constitutional boundaries.
Critics have alleged that Mr. Netanyahu's decision to fire Mr. Bar stems from the latter’s investigation into the prime minister’s aides, who are accused of leaking state secrets to a foreign newspaper and having ties to a foreign government.
In response, Mr. Netanyahu has stated that Mr. Bar was dismissed due to a breakdown of trust between them. His office has also attributed operational lapses to Mr. Bar that occurred on October 7, 2023, which allowed Hamas to initiate an attack on Israel, escalating the conflict in Gaza.
This dismissal is part of a broader initiative by Mr. Netanyahu to reduce the power of state watchdogs.
Last week, Israel’s governing coalition passed a law allowing politicians greater control over the selection of Supreme Court justices. Earlier in March, the cabinet began proceedings to terminate the government’s top lawyer, Gali Baharav-Miara, who has publicly questioned the legality of several government decisions, leading to tensions with Mr. Netanyahu.