Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday he had appointed a new head of domestic intelligence despite the sitting Shin Bet director Ronen Bar still being in post after his dismissal was blocked in court.

Coalition and opposition figures issued mixed responses Monday to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s naming of Vice Adm. (res.) Eli Sharvit as the next Shin Bet chief, with supporters lauding Sharvit’s character and critics slamming both his politics and the timing of the announcement.

The government has voted unanimously to end Ronen Bar’s term as Shin Bet chief, the Prime Minister’s Office announced in a statement early Friday morning. Bar will end his role on April 10 or when a new Shin Bet chief is appointed - whichever comes first.

The days of Ronen Bar as Israel's Shin Bet chief were already numbered after Hamas's deadly attack on October 7, 2023, having hinted he would resign to take responsibility for failing to prevent it. The security chief referred to the conclusions drawn by his agency's probe into the unprecedented Hamas attack on October 7,

As advisers are held and premier himself is summoned by police, opposition figures say his 'wave of spin' is meant to divert attention from other issues, call for him to be probed The post Netanyahu’s party: Arrest of PM’s aides in Qatargate probe is ‘coup d’état’ by AG,

Eight former police commisioners and more than 170 retired senior police officers took out an ad expressing concern about the firing of Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) head Ronen Bar and Attorney-General Gali Baharav Miara and calling on the police chief to speak out in support of the rule of law and the court, N12 reported in a Thursday X/Twitter post that shared the advertisement."We, retired police commissioners, commanders and officers, who served many years in the Israel Police in full cooperation with the Attorney-General and the Shin Bet, did so from a deep commitment to fulfilling our job guarding democracy by upholding the law and maintaining public order," the advertisement read.The ad also highlighted reports that the government would not follow High Court rulings, saying that these "upset the unified base of society, hurt national resilience, and raise a significant concern for the democratic nature of the state."The officers also expressed "worry at advancing the firing of the Attorney-General and Shin Bet head, the continued attack on the rule of law, and the harm to gatekeepers," saying that these mean harming the independence of the legal system and the state's security.The officers called on ministers to respect democratic principles and "avoid any step that could cause an irreversible rift and harm to Israeli society.""We expect to hear the clear and sharp voice of the police commissioner speaking out on the obligation to act in accordance with the law and court rulings, the signatories signed the letter.The ad was paid for by the former chiefs and officers signed on the ad.This is not the first time that former senior security officials have spoken out against recent moves by Israel's government seen as the advancement of undemocratic developments in the country.Alsheikh's warning Former police commissioner Roni Alsheikh, who also signed the ad, spoke at a large protest in Tel Aviv last week, which was called after the firing of Bar.He warned about the trampling of Israel's system of checks and balances and harm to gatekeepers."I have children and, thank God, quite a few grandchildren who were born in our beloved country. I will not allow for the continued endangerment of their future," he said at the rally."Whoever stands by, whoever believes the pseudo-security linguistic gymnastics of the government and its head [Prime Minister Benajmin Netanayhu] will not have an explanation for the future generation of why we sacrificed the state of Israel for non-stately interests."Former Mossad chief Tamir Pardo and former Shin Bet head Yoram Cohen also spoke at the rally.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu picked former navy commander Eli Sharvit to head the domestic security agency, his office said Monday, despite the supreme court freezing the incumbent's dismissal.

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