Former Shin Bet Chief Sues Netanyahu Over October 7 Attack

Former Shin Bet director Ronen Bar has filed a high-profile defamation lawsuit against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of making false statements to evade responsibility for the security failures surrounding the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack.

The 134-page lawsuit, filed ahead of the upcoming general election, alleges that Mr. Netanyahu engaged in a systematic campaign to shift blame onto intelligence leadership. Bar asserted that upon receiving initial warnings of an impending attack, he immediately alerted the Prime Minister’s military secretary, as he lacked direct phone access to Mr. Netanyahu at the time.

Mr. Netanyahu has denied these claims, arguing that security chiefs failed to wake him or notify him directly during the early hours of the assault, claiming he could have taken action had he been briefed immediately.
According to the suit, Mr. Netanyahu’s long-standing policies significantly heightened the security threats originating from Gaza, and his post-attack statements were intentionally fabricated to misdirect public scrutiny.
Mr. Netanyahu’s Likud Party dismissed the lawsuit in a public statement, questioning why Bar did not use emergency channels to contact the Prime Minister directly on the morning of the attack.
Bar resigned as Shin Bet chief in June 2025 amid widespread political fallout over the intelligence lapse, maintaining that proper notifications had been issued prior to the breach.

Allegations of Document Manipulation and Prior Warnings
The lawsuit follows recent disclosures by Mr. Netanyahu’s former military secretary, Avi Gil, who told Channel 12 that official records of the October 7 timeline were altered within the Prime Minister’s Office. Gil alleged that staff were instructed to alter timestamps of critical phone calls to adjust the official narrative.
Additionally, Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel personally warned Mr. Netanyahu of potential military escalation by Hamas days prior to the assault during a visit to Israel.

The ongoing legal and political controversies come as Mr. Netanyahu faces mounting pressure from political opponents and intelligence officials ahead of the October 27 general election.