Ex-Shin Bet Chief Warned Knesset of 'Perfect Storm' Prior to October 7
Newly revealed documents show that former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar warned the Knesset of a potential multi-front war weeks before October 7, presenting a briefing titled 'The Perfect Storm' as political tensions heightened.
New information reveals that just three weeks before October 7, former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar initiated an extraordinary move by requesting to appear before the Subcommittee for Secret Services of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. During the classified briefing, Bar presented a slideshow titled "The Perfect Storm," warning lawmakers of the potential outbreak of a multi-front war.
The Warning and Internal Dissension
According to reports, Bar's central message was that the severe rift and polarization within Israeli society were eroding deterrence, and that Israel's enemies might view the situation as an opportune moment for a military campaign. This warning adds to a series of alerts transmitted to the political leadership throughout 2023.
Defense establishment sources indicate that Bar approached the committee after feeling that the political leadership was not giving his warnings the required weight. An additional alert was delivered in September, following the conclusion of votes regarding the cancellation of the reasonableness standard, reinforcing the security concerns independent of the judicial overhaul.
Political Clashes and Responsibility
This revelation emerges against the backdrop of a fierce public dispute between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Bar regarding responsibility for the October 7 failure. Netanyahu accused Bar of severe omissions, claiming that on the night of the attack he knew of a "real danger" but failed to update him.
"Netanyahu is making selective use of classified protocols and avoiding full transparency," sources close to the security establishment noted regarding the ongoing dispute over accountability.
In response, Bar asserted that Netanyahu is selectively using classified protocols and demanded the publication of full transcripts, reportedly announcing his intention to sue Netanyahu for defamation.
