Overview

• Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar submitted an affidavit to Israel’s Supreme Court accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of ordering surveillance of political opponents and anti-government protesters.
• Bar claims Netanyahu sought his personal loyalty and instructed him to prioritize the prime minister's directives over Supreme Court rulings in a potential constitutional crisis.
• The Supreme Court has blocked Netanyahu’s March dismissal of Bar, allowing him to remain in office pending a final legal decision.
• Netanyahu's office has denied Bar's allegations, calling the affidavit false and asserting it will be refuted in due course.
• The dispute follows Shin Bet’s admitted failures to prevent the October 2023 Hamas attack and ongoing investigations into leaked military documents and alleged Qatar-linked corruption involving Netanyahu aides.