Ronen Bar Threatens Defamation Suit Against Netanyahu and Demands Full Release of Pre‑October 7 Records

Former Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) director Ronen Bar announced on Monday that he intends to file a defamation lawsuit against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and is demanding the public release of testimonies and documents that detail what was communicated to the prime minister in the run-up to the October 7 attack.

Bar's Claims and Demands

Bar says he will seek disclosure of Netanyahu's meeting schedule with the defense establishment and with foreign officials, and he intends to summon staff from the prime minister's office and other aides to testify. He accused those aides of assisting Netanyahu in what he described as a "manipulative campaign" to release selected documents out of context and to deflect responsibility as witness accounts emerge.

“Prime Minister Netanyahu launched an unrestrained incitement campaign against the former Shin Bet chief, one that has no basis in reality,” the statement on Bar's behalf said.

Bar argued that Netanyahu refused for three years to accept responsibility and blocked a public state commission of inquiry, then began issuing portions of documents in a way Bar calls misleading. He says he warned of an "impending disaster" in unprecedented terms and that his recommendations to restore deterrence and strengthen the border were ignored.

Legal Action and Purpose

Following the statement, Bar instructed his lawyers to file a defamation suit and said he would summon anyone he believes "distorted, falsified documents, and spread false and defamatory information" about him. He urged the prime minister to immediately release all relevant documents so the public can see "the full truth, without manipulation." Bar framed the effort as protecting the memory of the victims, the honor of Shin Bet personnel, and the public interest in an accurate record.

Ronen Bar, head of the Shin Bet security services, seen at Mount Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem, October 27, 2024 (credit: FLASH90/CHAIM GOLDBERG)

Netanyahu's Response

Netanyahu denied a report in The Wall Street Journal that, citing senior officials in an Arab government, said then Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel warned him by phone days before October 7 about signs of an imminent attack from Gaza. Netanyahu said he had not met or spoken with Kamel in the months before October 7 and asserted that "the prime minister never meets or speaks with the intelligence chief of a foreign country without their Israeli counterparts being present."

Netanyahu also accused Bar of failing to update him on the night of the attack and of not taking actions such as warning civilian security squads, ordering broader evacuations at the Nova festival, or deploying sufficient teams in the field. The prime minister's office said it had instructed lawyers to prepare a defamation suit on related issues.

Broader Context

The dispute focuses on who knew what and when in the run-up to the October 7 massacre, and whether senior officials selectively released or manipulated documents and testimony to shift public blame. Both men have signaled they will pursue legal remedies as witness statements and documents continue to surface.

Bar closed his statement with a broader strategic remark: “Victory is achieved through a preemptive attack against the enemy outside, not against the security forces at home.”