Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has nominated a former Navy com-mander to head the country’s domestic security services, despite the courts block-ing his bid to fire the previous head of Shin Bet.
Netanyahu’s office announced on Monday that he had nominated Vice Admiral Eli Sharvit to lead the agency, which monitors attacks from abroad and at home, including those by armed groups based in Palestine and Lebanon. However, the Supreme Court's order to halt the dismissal of Ronen Bar as head of Shin Bet remains in place.
The prime minister highlighted Sharvit’s experience, stating that he had been selected after “conducting in-depth interviews with seven worthy candidates.” Having served in the military for 36 years, Sharvit had led “the maritime defense of territorial waters and conducted complex operations against Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran,” the statement said.
In late March, Netanyahu stated that he no longer had confidence in the Shin Bet chief following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on southern Israel, which killed 1,139 people and saw approximately 250 others taken captive.
However, the decision to fire Bar led to discord within the government and prompted large protests. Critics claim it was a politically motivated decision, noting that Shin Bet was investigating suspected corruption among the prime minister’s close advisers. (Al Jazeera)
