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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing intensifying criticism over his firing of Ronan Barr
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the director of the Israeli security agency known as Sheen Bet. In a letter to the High Court of Justice on Friday
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Barr said Netanyahu attempted to manipulate the Sheen Bet for political gain
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In November 2024, the Prime Minister repeatedly asked that I provide a security assessment
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that would determine that the security circumstances do not allow for his continuous testimony in his criminal trial
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When I refused to deliver his request in this matter, this is when I felt that there was a lack of trust between us
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Barr also implied that he was asked to use the internal security services tools against Israelis, but refused
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The court has frozen Barr's dismissal while it holds hearings on the matter
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Barr urged the court to reverse the decision, saying his firing without due process would send a message throughout the Shin Bet
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that they could no longer act independently from politics. Netanyahu's office quickly fired back
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This statement is full of lies, such as the claim that the prime minister asked the Shin Bet
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to use the organization's power inappropriately against Israeli citizens, something that never happened
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The only one motivated by personal motives is the shinbeth head. The Prime Minister's office said that Netanyahu did discuss the criminal trial with Barr
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but only in regards to changing its venue. Instead, it attributed Netanyahu's lack of trust in Barr
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to so-called failures around the events of October 7, 2023. Israeli media has called this a reference to the conspiracy theory
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that Barr knew in advance of Hamas' plans to attack
