JERUSALEM / ISTANBUL

Israel’s Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to dismiss Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar was unlawful.

In its decision, the court said that Bar was sacked “unlawfully,” citing improper procedures and a conflict of interest related to a high-profile corruption case involving Netanyahu’s associates.

Netanyahu cited “a loss of confidence” for firing the Shin Bet chief. Bar, however, hinted that political motives were behind the move, accusing Netanyahu of seeking “personal loyalty” over professional integrity.

The court highlighted a conflict of interest stemming from the ongoing investigations into Netanyahu’s aides in the so-called “QatarGate” affair, which centers on allegations that two advisers to the Israeli premier received funds from a US public relations firm contracted by the Qatari government.

The contract allegedly aimed to promote Qatari interests from within Netanyahu’s office. Qatar has denied the accusations, calling them baseless.

The court also ruled that the Netanyahu government failed to submit the dismissal to the relevant advisory committee and did not conduct a legally required hearing for Bar. It found no factual basis for the decision.

Justice Yitzhak Amit, president of the Supreme Court, wrote that Netanyahu was in a state of conflict of interest at the time of the decision, due to investigations involving his aides in the “QatarGate” case and a separate scandal involving leaked classified documents.

“This situation becomes even more severe,” Amit wrote, “given that the prime minister himself has repeatedly acknowledged that these investigations could affect, among other things, his personal and political status.”

Since Bar is directly involved in the investigations, “terminating his tenure could significantly impact their course,” the judge added.

“Accordingly,” Amit concluded, “the court finds that the prime minister is in a conflict of interest that prevents him from interfering in the termination of the Shin Bet director’s position.”

Channel 12 reported that the ruling effectively allows Netanyahu to announce a successor.

On March 20, the Israeli government announced Bar’s dismissal as of April 10. The court later issued an injunction preventing his removal or replacement pending its review of petitions filed by opposition lawmakers.

Despite the court order, Bar announced on April 28 that he would voluntarily step down on June 15.

The move comes as the Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive against Gaza since October 2023, killing nearly 53,700 Palestinians, most of them women and children.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.