Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is embroiled in what supporters describe as a “Deep State” conspiracy orchestrated by the Shin Bet security service. The controversy has reached a boiling point with allegations that Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar refused to leave his post after being dismissed by Netanyahu. Could the current power struggle lead to a constitutional crisis in Israel?
Security Agency Power Struggle Erupts
A remarkable power struggle has erupted in Israel between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Shin Bet security chief Ronen Bar, who allegedly refused to step down after being dismissed. Bar stands accused of turning Israel’s internal security service into a “private militia” that undermines democratic governance and targets Netanyahu’s administration.
The controversy intensified when a Shin Bet agent was arrested for allegedly leaking classified information to journalist Amit Segal and Minister Amichai Chikli, revealing what some describe as a deep state plot. This leaked information allegedly showed Bar was attempting to frame the Israeli police for right-wing extremism, targeting conservative Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
Israeli Intel Coup Against Netanyahu Exposed: “Shin Bet Has Turned into a Private Militia of the Deep State”
READ: https://t.co/RmarWYOFvD pic.twitter.com/y1U9YcLAuW
— The Gateway Pundit (@gatewaypundit) April 16, 2025
Judicial Reforms Amid Security Crisis
Simultaneously, Netanyahu is pushing forward with controversial legislation to weaken the judiciary and increase political influence over Supreme Court appointments. A new law changes the composition of the Judicial Selection Committee, allowing politicians greater influence by replacing two Israel Bar Association nominees with attorneys nominated by both the governing coalition and the opposition.
Israel’s Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara has opposed these changes, arguing they prioritize political considerations over professional ones, gravely weakening judicial independence. Opposition leader Yair Lapid and the Association for Civil Rights in Israel have appealed the legislation to the Supreme Court, setting up another confrontation between the administration and the judiciary.
Israel’s Shin Bet (equivalent of the FBI) has gone rogue—now spying even on ministers.
Here’s Minister of Diaspora @AmichaiChikli on the latest: a whistleblower arrested by order of Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar (who was fired but refuses to step down) 👇
pic.twitter.com/GFCbJK9azg— Dr. Eli David (@DrEliDavid) April 15, 2025
Constitutional Crisis Deepens
The Netanyahu cabinet’s attempts to remove Ronen Bar have reportedly been blocked by Attorney General Baharav-Miara and the High Court of Justice, deepening the constitutional standoff. Baharav-Miara argues that firing Bar would affect ongoing investigations into alleged Qatari payments to government members and media, which Netanyahu characterizes as part of a coup attempt by Shin Bet and the Attorney General.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich issued a stark warning about the situation, stating, “The State of Israel is on a slippery and dangerous slope towards the loss of democracy and the dictatorial rule of a security and legal junta.” Critics of the government counter that Netanyahu’s judicial reforms, partially implemented during the Gaza conflict, represent their form of democratic backsliding.
Questions about security failures on October 7 have further fueled conspiracy theories and suspicions about institutional motives. Some observers have pointed to puzzling security lapses that allowed Hamas to carry out its attack, connecting these failures to the current power struggle within Israel’s security establishment.