Netanyahu seeks to oust head of Israel's domestic security service

By Maayan Lubell

JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told the head of the Shin Bet domestic intelligence service that he will ask the government to approve his dismissal this week, a statement from Netanyahu's office said on Sunday.

Ronen Bar's sacking would be likely to draw widespread criticism as Israel faces the prospect of a renewal of fighting in Gaza with dozens of Israeli hostages still held there.

Netanyahu said he had long ago lost confidence in Bar and that trust in the head of the domestic security service, whose roles include counter-terrorism and security for government officials, was especially crucial at a time of war.

Bar said the only confidence he was obliged to win was that of Israel's citizens, and that Netanyahu's expectations of "personal trust" went against state interests, with possible escalation in Gaza looming.

The war was triggered by Hamas' surprise attack on October 7, 2023, one of Israel's worst security failures, which led to the killing of 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and the capture of 251 who were taken to Gaza as hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

Bar's dismissal will be brought before government on Wednesday, according to an official close to Netanyahu, but could face legal challenges.

Shin Bet, the Israeli counterpart of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigations, is part of a probe into possible links between employees in Netanyahu's office and Qatar, which has been mediating Gaza ceasefire talks.

Appointed in 2021 by the previous government, Bar has acknowledged his responsibility for the October 7 failure, most recently this month in an investigation of its actions on the day of the assault and the time leading up to it.

Bar said he had told Netanyahu he planned to step down, but only once the remaining 59 hostages were home and after completing "sensitive investigations".

The Movement for Quality Government in Israel said firing Bar was meant to torpedo the probe into links with Qatar.

The justice minister is separately trying to oust the attorney general, while Netanyahu sacked defence minister Yoav Gallant in November, and military chief Herzi Halevi stepped down in January over the October 7 security failure.

Netanyahu himself has resisted calls to establish a state inquiry into the October 7 failure, or step down over it.

Bar said a full investigation cannot stop with the military or the Shin Bet, but must also probe the government and the prime minister who, he said, had repeatedly ignored agency warnings, particularly in the year leading up to the attack.

(Reporting by Maayan LubellEditing by Ros Russell and Kevin Liffey)