Ex-Shin Bet Chief Ronen Bar Sues Netanyahu for Defamation Over Oct. 7

Former Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar has filed a 3 million shekel defamation lawsuit at the Tel Aviv District Court against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The legal action follows accusations by Netanyahu blaming Bar for "crimes" related to the failures preceding the October 7 massacre, including claims that Bar allegedly "knew about a real danger on the night of October 7." The lawsuit details months of unheeded warnings and conflicting versions of events leading up to the unprecedented assault by Hamas.

The Timeline of Warnings and Netanyahu's Policy

The lawsuit, filed through attorneys Reuven Bachar, Yoram Bonen, and Doron Kol from the FBC law firm, presents a meticulous chronicle of intelligence assessments, security cabinet discussions, and direct warnings delivered to Netanyahu between November 2022 and the days leading up to October 7. Bar asserts that he repeatedly warned the Prime Minister about the severe erosion of Israeli deterrence, Hamas's growing appetite for a multi-front escalation, and the radicalization of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, whom Bar described as taking on messianic tendencies.

According to the legal filing, Bar advocated for aggressive preventative measures, including targeted assassinations of senior Hamas operatives, restrictions on Gazan workers, and preemptive strikes to blunt the growing threat. However, Bar claims these recommendations were systematically ignored or dismissed by Netanyahu, who allegedly pursued a policy of "quiet at any price" and maintained that national security strategy formulation fell outside the remit of the Shin Bet director.

"In the absence of a state commission of inquiry, the truth will be brought to light in a court of law. A little bit of light will dispel a great deal of darkness," Bar stated, emphasizing his decision to break his silence.

Events of the Night of October 7

Addressing the events of October 7 itself, Bar categorically rejects allegations that the Shin Bet concealed critical intelligence from the Prime Minister. The lawsuit notes that an initial intelligence alert regarding suspicious offensive activity along the border was disseminated to security bodies at 03:03. Furthermore, notifications were transmitted to the Prime Minister's then-military secretary, Avi Gil, in accordance with established protocols.

Bar also highlighted that unlike previous tenures under former prime ministers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid—with whom he maintained direct communication channels—Netanyahu did not provide him with a personal mobile phone number, routing all communications through his military secretary and chief of staff, Tzachi Braverman. Bar maintains that despite taking full responsibility for the intelligence failure that led to his resignation, he refuses to serve as a scapegoat for broader systemic failures and political narratives designed to obscure accountability.