The gatekeepers

The Integrity of Intelligence Services and Israel’s future: Reflections on the dismissal of Ronen Bar.

The recent dismissal of Ronen Bar, head of Israel’s Shin Bet, ordered by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amid protests and political tensions, has reignited critical debates about Government trajectory. Beyond the immediate controversy, this episode underscores three urgent challenges: the need for unimpeachable intelligence services, the preservation of checks and balances against political power and the imperative to curb the influence of radical factions. Let us examine each.

Impartial intelligence: the first line of defense

The Shin Bet, responsible for Israel’s internal security, operates in an environment where every misstep can cost lives and any perceived bias risks undermining its legitimacy.

Bar emphasized professionalizing the agency during his tenure, prioritizing intelligence-gathering on cross-border threats and extremist cells. His firing, however, appears tied to political pressures raising an uncomfortable question: Can security agencies remain effective if their leadership is subject to the whims of the ruling government?

The credibility of intelligence services is vital to Israel’s stability. In the Middle East, where alliances are fragile and groups like Hamas or Hezbollah exploit every fissure, a politicised Shin Bet not only weakens Israel’s ability to preempt attacks but also jeopardizes regional partnerships (such as the Abraham Accords).

Intelligence must be rooted in facts, not partisan loyalty. If citizens perceive the Shin Bet as an arm of the government rather than a guardian of national security, social cohesion erodes — a risk Israel cannot afford.

Checks and balances: a wall against authoritarism

Bar’s dismissal reflects a troubling pattern: the consolidation of power within the executive branch. Netanyahu, already facing mass protests over judicial reforms that curtail the legal system’s independence, appears to extend this dynamic to national security. Historically, Israel has prevented any single leader from exerting unchecked control over the IDF, Mossad or Shin Bet, recognizing that without institutional counterweights, even democracies can slide into autocracy.

Bar’s case is a reminder that security agencies must be subject to oversight—not political whims. An active parliament, a free press, and a robust judiciary are essential to hold leaders like Netanyahu accountable and ensure critical decisions—such as removing an intelligence chief—are based on technical merit not electoral calculus.

As former Mossad chief Tamir Pardo noted in 2023: “When security becomes a propaganda tool, we all lose.”

Toward a secular state: curtailing radical influence

The third challenge is structural: in my humble opinion, Israel must evolve into a more secular model that limits the clout of extremist religious groups. The growing influence of ultra-Orthodox parties in the governing coalition has driven policies that deepen societal divides. This not only fuels violence but also weakens Israel’s global standing and damages its alliances.

The balanced approach—countering cheating and extremism regardless of its origin—is a model to emulate. Israel must prioritize a shared civic identity, where the law protects all citizens equally and radicals cannot hijack the national agenda.

A precarious Balancing Act

The dismissal of Ronen Bar is more than a political drama. It is a symptom of deeper tensions: between security and democracy, unity and fragmentation. Israel stands at a crossroads: It can choose to strengthen independent institutions, safeguard the neutrality of its intelligence services, and marginalize extremists—or allow short-term political maneuvering to dictate its fate. History shows that nations which subordinate intelligence agencies to partisan interests, weaken checks and balances and empower radicals pay a huge price. In the Middle East, that price could be the state’s very existence. Thus, now more than ever, Israel needs leaders who understand that true security is built not through unchecked power, but through balance.