Ronen Bar slams ex-Shin Bet head Nadav Argaman, Netanyahu sues him

Nadav Argaman, Israel’s Shin Bet chief from 2016 to 2021, delivered a searing critique of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a March 13 interview on Channel 12’s Uvda, igniting a firestorm of controversy. Calling Netanyahu unfit to lead, Argaman held him directly responsible for the security lapses that led to the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, which he termed “the worst disaster since the state’s establishment.”

Argaman, who spent much of his tenure under Netanyahu’s premiership, accused the PM of a calculated policy to bolster Hamas with Qatari cash to maintain calm in Gaza while undermining the Palestinian Authority (PA). “We bought peace with Qatari money—it was clear to everyone this would backfire one day,” he said, claiming Netanyahu and his cabinet knowingly ignored the risks.

He further alleged that Shin Bet repeatedly pressed for decisive action against Hamas, including assassination plots targeting leaders like Yahya Sinwar, only for Netanyahu to reject them, opting instead to “weaken the PA.” “Looking at the bottom line, Bibi’s national security strategy over the past decade was an abject failure,” Argaman asserted.

The former spy chief also sounded the alarm on Netanyahu’s leadership trajectory, warning it is leading Israel “to its doom.” He pointed to the PM’s refusal to accept accountability for October 7 and raised fears that Netanyahu might appoint security chiefs willing to bend democratic norms to advance his judicial overhaul agenda. “He could install a Shin Bet head who’d make it comfortable for Bibi to continue the judicial overhaul,” Argaman cautioned. Urging public action, he declared, “Ultimately, the ones who will topple the government are the people,” insisting elections are overdue—even in wartime—since “the war is over” with only “small forces” left in Gaza.

The remarks triggered a sharp response from current Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, who fired back at Argaman. “We don’t use the organization’s power unnecessarily,” Bar wrote, emphasizing, “The Shin Bet is a state institution that carries out its missions in accordance with the law.” In a pointed rebuttal, he added, “The strength and resilience of the organization lie in its values. A state institution and its leader do not use its power except to fulfill its purpose. This has not been, and will not be, our way—neither in words nor, certainly, in deeds.” Bar’s comments appeared aimed at distancing his tenure from Argaman’s escalating feud with the government.

Tensions peaked when Netanyahu accused Argaman of “blackmail”, filing a police complaint alleging threats to reveal compromising information if the PM broke the law. Argaman had hinted at sensitive knowledge from their interactions, stating, “If I conclude the prime minister has decided to act against the law, then I will say everything I know.”

Netanyahu’s attorney, Hor Ariel Nazri, wrote to the police commissioner, charging that Argaman “chose to threaten and blackmail a sitting prime minister with methods typical of criminal organizations, as if the head of Israel’s intelligence agency were a mafia figure, using underworld tactics and completely crossing the line”

The clash marks a rare public rift between past and present Shin Bet leaders, spotlighting deep divisions over Netanyahu’s leadership as Israel navigates the fallout of October 7. Argaman’s call to oust the PM has fueled debate, while Bar’s defense of the agency’s integrity underscores the stakes in this high-stakes political showdown.