Former Shin Bet Chief Sues Netanyahu Over October 7 Accusations
Ex-Shin Bet head Ronen Bar files a defamation lawsuit against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, seeking three million shekels, weeks before a tight election.
Former Shin Bet domestic security chief Ronen Bar filed a defamation lawsuit against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday. The suit, filed at the Central District Court in Lod, seeks three million shekels in damages and centers on Netanyahu's public accusations regarding the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack. In a 134-page court document, Bar accused the prime minister of lying to cover his own responsibility for the deadliest day in Israeli history.
Bar's lawsuit claims Netanyahu knowingly published false allegations to shift blame. It states the premier's policies over several years increased the dangers posed by terrorist groups in Gaza. Netanyahu has claimed he could have stopped the attack if Bar or military leaders had called him in time. Bar insists he warned Netanyahu of the threat in advance.
Bar’s account of warnings and Netanyahu’s response
Bar said he telephoned the prime minister’s military secretary when signs of a possible attack became apparent. He stated he did not have Netanyahu’s direct number. Netanyahu countered this, saying Bar had his number on the red line and could have called immediately, as all security chiefs do. "How many lives could we have saved if only you had called in time?" Netanyahu asked. Bar acknowledged institutional failure. 'As the head of the service, I bear responsibility for the Shin Bet’s failure to provide the intelligence required regarding the October 7 attack and its timing,' he said. Yet he insists the premier was informed.
Political and electoral context
The lawsuit arrives less than two weeks before Israel's October 27 election, where polls show Netanyahu is in a tight race to stay in power. Bar resigned as head of Shin Bet in June 2025 amid recriminations over the attack. At his resignation, he said all the systems collapsed within the agency and that it failed to sound the alarm. He stated he stepped down to take responsibility as the organization's head.
Broader implications and related claims
The case touches on wider allegations of misconduct. Avi Gil, who served as Netanyahu’s military secretary from July 2021 to May 2024, told Israel’s Channel 12 that the prime minister’s office had falsified records related to October 7. Gil said a stenographer approached him in January 2024 with instructions from Netanyahu’s chief of staff to change the time of a four-minute call from 6:40am to 6:29am. "Those are facts, and there is no dispute about them," Avi Gil said. Separate reports indicated Egypt's intelligence chief, Abbas Kamel, warned Netanyahu just days before the attack and had flown to Israel in September 2023 to alert security officials.
The human cost of the attack and subsequent war is staggering.
| Event | Israeli Figures | Gaza Figures (Health Ministry) |
|---|---|---|
| October 7, 2023 attack deaths | 1,221 killed | Not applicable |
| October 7 hostages taken | 251 taken, 44 already dead | Not applicable |
| Israeli offensive in Gaza since October 7 | Not applicable | More than 74,300 killed |
| Deaths since tentative US-backed ceasefire last year | Not applicable | More than 1,400 killed |
The Gaza health ministry operates under Hamas, and its figures are generally considered reliable by the United Nations. Netanyahu has faced intense criticism from the opposition for failing to prevent the October 7 attack.
Netanyahu’s rebuttal and Bar’s accountability stance
Netanyahu dismissed the lawsuit with a sarcastic retort issued by his Likud party. Ronen, are you serious? he said. Beyond the three million shekels in compensation, Bar seeks a court-ordered correction or denial and legal costs. The lawsuit centers on a September 28 post on Netanyahu’s personal X account where the prime minister accused Bar of failures and crimes. Bar says he will seek disclosure of relevant documents held by Netanyahu as part of the lawsuit.
