Religion Magazine

Defending Ronen Bar

By Gldmeier @gldmeier
As I mentioned the other day, I don't think the Left is doing anyone a service by defending Ronen Bar, head of the Shabak, from being fired by PM Netanyahu and his government. Bar Deserves to go home, whether by resignation or by firing. 
The Opposition isnt doing anyone a favor, and is not protecting democracy by defending him. They are simply opposing the government, which is actually their job but in this case it is not a good cause. I think their defense of the Attorney General is fine - whatever you think of her, firing her is more complicated legally, she isn't responsible for the October 7 failure (at least not directly or explicitly), and her work and defending her can be seen as defending democracy.
That being said, Bar's firing has been frozen by the courts until the Supreme Court hears the petitions against the firing. As much as the Netanyahu government is trying to force a constitutional crisis, I don't think Bar's firing is going to bring it. I don't see the Supreme Court canceling the firing of Ronen Bar. I think they will let it pass. The law, and granted I am the furthest thing from an expert on this, seems pretty straightforward and it does not seem complicated to fire him and I think the Supreme Court will allow it. Of course the Qatargate investigation might be the one impediment, but I think it will be allowed. If they try it with the Attorney General and don't make do with just a witch hunt hearing and a statement of intentions but go through with it, then the Supreme Court would likely intervene as firing the Attorney General is far more complicated. We probably have to wait for our constitutional crisis until they try it with Gali Baharav Meara. 
All that being said, I still find it reprehensible and highly hypocritical the way the government has chased everyone involved in October 7 out of office while they themselves refuse to acknowledge responsibility and resign and go to elections. As much as the security forces bear responsibility, the government does as well. Every claim they have made about the various individuals in the security forces applies equally to the government. Can they get away with? Obviously yes, as they have until now, but I still find it highly hypocritical and reprehensible. 
The government should resign and go back to the public with elections for the public to renew its faith in the government, in all the politicians, or say who else they want to lead the country to finish the war or to rebuild the nation.
And, in addition, I think the government should wait for all these reforms and changes, which are highly divisive, until after the war. Greater unity is needed during wartime. Especially in a war that seems to be never-ending,  so far 17 months long with no end in sight, in which the numbers of people reporting for more and more reserve duty has been decreasing, in which many people, rightly or wrongly, feel the government is simply extending the war to keep itself in power without needing to face the public, the government should wait for all these changes that cause protests and fighting. Concentrate on the war and save everything else for later. Yes, the government has the technical right to make these various changes. One can question if they have the moral right considering their responsibility for October 7, but they at least have the technical right. But even with the technical right, I dont see it as the smart or wise thing to be doing right now.
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