Lapid warns of political violence over Shin Bet chief's ouster
3 Min Read
The Israeli opposition has filed a court appeal against Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar's dismissal, seeing it as evidence of PM Benjamin Netanyahu's government's "anti-democratic" tilt.
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Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid, Yesh Atid speaks at a Knesset session, in occupied al-Quds, Monday, October 28, 2024 (Pool Photo via AP)
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid expressed concern about an outbreak of political violence stemming from what he described as a hate campaign against the occupation's internal security head, whom the government has sought to dismiss.
The chief of "Israel's" Shin Bet intelligence agency, Ronen Bar, last week announced his intention to resign within the coming weeks amid the chaos caused by the Israeli government's decision to dismiss him citing "lack of trust".
The family of a killed Israeli soldier reportedly bashed the Shin Bet chief during a Supreme Court session that was looking into his dismissal, saying that he has "the blood of Israeli soldiers on his hands," according to i24 News' Knesset correspondent Amiel Yerachi.
Bar announced his intention to resign shortly after.
"A red line has been crossed. If we don't stop this, there will be a political murder, maybe more than one. Jews will kill jews," Lapid warned during a news conference in Tel Aviv, adding that "the most serious threats are directed at the head of the Shin Bet, Ronen Bar."
The opposition has filed a court appeal against Bar's dismissal, seeing it as evidence of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government's "anti-democratic" tilt.
Bar has suggested that his removal was related to investigations into the events of October 7, 2023, and "other serious matters," while Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara has warned of "a personal conflict of interest on the part of the prime minister due to the criminal investigations involving his associates."
The Israeli Supreme Court halted the occupation's original attempt to fire Bar, and earlier this month granted the cabinet and the Attorney General's Office until the end of the just-finished Passover vacation to reach an agreement.
Lapid, the head of the Yesh Atid party, said that Bar should resign as a result of his agency's failure to prevent the Palestinian Resistance's attack on October 7, 2023, and agreed that the Israeli government had the legal ability to remove him as long as it was done in accordance with due procedure and "approved by the court."
But he also blamed Netanyahu for a campaign of intimidation directed at Bar. Lapid showed Netanyahu images of social media messages carrying murder threats against the security head, saying, "Stop this".
