Israel's President Isaac Herzog on Thursday, March 20, expressed concern over steps being taken by the government, a few hours before the cabinet fired the head of Shin Bet, Israel's domestic intelligence agency, in an unprecedented move.
"It is impossible not to be deeply troubled by the harsh reality unfolding before our eyes," Herzog said in a video statement, stopping short of mentioning Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by name.
Earlier this week, Netanyahu announced a return to the war in Gaza, sending in ground troops, after talks on extending the truce with the Palestinian militant group Hamas reached an impasse. "It is unthinkable to resume fighting while still pursuing the sacred mission of bringing our hostages home," said Herzog, whose role is largely ceremonial.
His unusual statement also comes ahead of a state budget vote expected late this month, in which the government proposes raising taxes and cutting education and health funding while ramping up spending in the ultra-Orthodox Jewish sector – a plan that has drawn criticism as many ultra-Orthodox do not serve in the army. "Thousands of reserve duty call-ups have recently been issued, and it is inconceivable to send our sons to the front while simultaneously advancing divisive and controversial initiatives that create deep rifts within our nation," Herzog said.
Calling on decision-makers to "carefully weigh every step and assess whether it strengthens national resilience", the president criticized the decision to resume fighting in Gaza while Israeli hostages, including some who are known to be alive, remain in Gaza.
Secret motives
On Friday, Netanyahu's government fired Ronen Bar, the head of Shin Bet, Israel's domestic intelligence agency. He will leave his post when his successor is appointed or by April 10 at the latest, the statement said.
Netanyahu on Sunday cited an "ongoing lack of trust" as the reason for moving to dismiss Bar, who joined the agency in 1993.
His relations with Netanyahu were strained even before the unprecedented October Hamas attack which sparked the war in Gaza, notably over proposed judicial reforms that had split the country. Relations worsened after the March 4 release of the internal Shin Bet report on the Hamas attack. It acknowledged the agency's own failure in preventing the attack, but also said "a policy of quiet had enabled Hamas to undergo massive military buildup".
Bar's dismissal provoked the anger of the opposition and led to demonstrations accusing Netanyahu of threatening democracy.
Several thousand people braved bad weather late Thursday to demonstrate outside Netanyahu's private residence in Jerusalem and then the Israeli parliament, where ministers were meeting.
In a letter made public on Thursday, Bar said Netanyahu's arguments were "general, unsubstantiated accusations that seem to hide the motivations behind the decision to terminate (his) duties".
He wrote the real motives were based on "personal interest" and intended to "prevent investigations into the events leading up to October 7 and other serious matters" being looked at by the Shin Bet. He referred to the "complex, wide-ranging and highly sensitive investigation" involving people close to Netanyahu who allegedly received money from Qatar, a case dubbed "Qatargate" by the media.