Ronen Bar, head of Israel’s Shin Bet domestic intelligence agency, has resigned from his post, effective June 15, 2025, citing personal responsibility for the agency’s failure to prevent the deadly Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023.
Bar’s departure comes after months of political turmoil and legal wrangling with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who attempted to dismiss the security chief earlier this year.
That move was blocked by Israel’s Supreme Court, which ruled the government lacked lawful grounds for a unilateral dismissal amid ongoing wartime conditions.
In his resignation letter, Bar said he bore “personal and professional responsibility” for the intelligence failure that preceded the Hamas assault, which killed over 1,100 Israelis and triggered a war in Gaza that continues to reverberate politically and militarily.
He emphasized the need for leadership accountability and announced that his exit would allow for a responsible transition to a new Shin Bet director.
Bar, who has led the Shin Bet since 2021, had previously expressed regret over the October 7 attack during a public memorial.
His resignation is seen by analysts as both a symbolic gesture of accountability and a bid to protect the agency’s independence amid increasing political pressure.
The relationship between Bar and Netanyahu had become strained in recent months. Israeli media reported that Bar resisted attempts by the prime minister to use the Shin Bet to monitor anti-government protesters and allegedly to interfere in his ongoing corruption trial.
Bar reportedly refused, arguing such actions would compromise the agency’s democratic and apolitical mandate. Netanyahu has denied these claims.
While Netanyahu accused Bar of losing his confidence, critics argued that the prime minister was attempting to politicize Israel’s security services during a time of war.
The attempted firing in March triggered public outcry and a rare legal intervention from the Supreme Court, which froze the dismissal.
Bar’s resignation may now help defuse those tensions. In his parting message to agency staff, he wrote, “The Shin Bet must remain a professional, non-partisan body. Its credibility, not only in the eyes of the government but also among the public, is essential to our democracy and our national security.”
Netanyahu’s office has not yet named a successor. Bar’s departure adds to growing concerns over leadership instability within Israel’s top security and intelligence branches during an ongoing war and a volatile regional security environment.