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European Jewish News · Oct 14, 2026

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Israel: Former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar has filed a three million shekel (£736,000) defamation lawsuit against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over accusations that he withheld intelligence about the impending Hamas attack on 7 October 2023. Bar alleges that he repeatedly warned Netanyahu about the growing threat from Hamas in the months before the massacre and recommended targeting senior Hamas leaders, but that his warnings were ignored. He also disputes Netanyahu’s claim that the Shin Bet concealed intelligence on the night of the attack, saying security officials were alerted hours beforehand. Bar acknowledged the Shin Bet’s intelligence failures but accused Netanyahu of attempting to shift responsibility for the disaster. Responding to the lawsuit, Netanyahu accused Bar of failing to telephone him directly despite having access to his secure number, saying: “How many lives we could have saved if only you had called in time.”

Israel: Former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar has filed a three million shekel (£736,000) defamation lawsuit against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over accusations that he withheld intelligence about the impending Hamas attack on 7 October 2023. Bar alleges that he repeatedly warned Netanyahu about the growing threat from Hamas in the months before the massacre and recommended targeting senior Hamas leaders, but that his warnings were ignored. He also disputes Netanyahu’s claim that the Shin Bet concealed intelligence on the night of the attack, saying security officials were alerted hours beforehand. Bar acknowledged the Shin Bet’s intelligence failures but accused Netanyahu of attempting to shift responsibility for the disaster. Responding to the lawsuit, Netanyahu accused Bar of failing to telephone him directly despite having access to his secure number, saying: “How many lives we could have saved if only you had called in time.”

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