Ronen Bar

Photos show an attack by settlers on the Palestinian village of Umm Safa in the West Bank on June 24, 2023. (Yesh Din)

June 25, 2023, 12:29 am

Off-duty soldier among 4 detained in latest settler attack on Palestinian village

Serviceman is suspected of involvement in Saturday rampage through Umm Safa in West Bank, where settlers set vehicles and homes ablaze and opened fire on civilians

By Emanuel Fabian

A screenshot from video of settlers firing at the West Bank village of Umm Safa on June 24, 2023. (Twitter video screenshot: Used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)

June 24, 2023, 9:22 pm

IDF, Shin Bet, police chiefs denounce settler attacks as ‘terror,’ vow to fight them

In rare joint statement, top officials say vigilante attacks targeting Palestinian civilians ‘contradict Jewish values,’ divert forces from fighting Palestinian terror

By Emanuel Fabian

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir (left) at a conference in Jerusalem, on February 21, 2023, and Ronen Bar (right), head of the Shin Bet security agency speaks at a conference at the Reichman University in Herzliya, September 11, 2022. (Yonatan Sindel; Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

June 17, 2023, 9:42 pm

Shin Bet said set to oppose bill granting Ben Gvir administrative detention power

Police and attorney general also expected to oppose proposal allowing detention of Israeli citizens for six months without trial amid wave of Arab community killings

By ToI Staff

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, left, and Jerusalem district police chief Doron Turgeman at a meeting in Jerusalem, June 15, 2023. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

June 15, 2023, 6:24 pm

State attorney: Ben Gvir’s administrative detention bill a threat to democracy

Legal officials urge Justice Minister Yariv Levin to shoot down legislation, which would give national security minister power to okay holding suspects without trial

By ToI Staff

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hosts a meeting with police and security officials to discuss violent crime in the Arab community on June 11, 2023. (Haim Zach/GPO)

June 11, 2023, 10:43 pm

Overruling objections, PM says Shin Bet must join fight against deadly Arab mob crime

Agency’s chief says it can’t replace police, active role in fight may jeopardize national security; AG raises fear of legal woes, exposure of sources

By ToI Staff

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) and Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar at a pre-Passover toast on April 4, 2023. (Kobi Gideon/GPO)

April 5, 2023, 5:52 am

Shin Bet chief: Over 200 ‘significant’ terror attacks foiled so far this year

Ronen Bar says Israel in ‘a challenging time, both at home and abroad,’ as Netanyahu vows ‘eventually we will get to every terrorist’

By ToI Staff

Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar speaks at a ceremony for late president Chaim Herzog at the President's Residence in Jerusalem on April 2, 2023. (Amos Ben-Gershon/GPO)

April 2, 2023, 8:24 pm

Societal divisions ‘could lead to disaster,’ Shin Bet chief says in stark warning

Making rare public comments, Ronen Bar says schisms sparked by judicial overhaul could cause catastrophe ‘from which we will not be able to recover’

By ToI Staff

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses the weekly cabinet meeting at his office in Jerusalem Sunday, March 19, 2023. (Abir Sultan/Pool Photo via AP)

March 20, 2023, 3:10 pm

With unbridled attack on security chiefs, Netanyahu shows he’s at point of no return

Those who know the prime minister well say he likes to take conflicts to the precipice before backing off; when it comes to the judicial overhaul, they’re no longer optimistic

By Shalom Yerushalmi

Illustrative: Hilltop youth in the central West Bank Inbalim outpost on July 28, 2009. (Matanya Tausig/FLASH90)

February 25, 2023, 9:34 am

Shin Bet chief said to blame tiny minority for settler attacks on Palestinians

Amid spike in violence, Bar tells conference vast majority of settlers are ‘super normative and law-abiding’

By ToI Staff

Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, November 6, 2022. (Moshe Shai/Flash90)

February 21, 2023, 12:14 am

Shin Bet head said to warn leaders over ‘growing potential for violence’

In series of conversations that included PM, justice minister, president and opposition leader, Ronen Bar requests: ‘Do everything to calm the climate’

By Ash Obel

Ronen Bar, head of the Shin Bet security services speaks during a conference at the Reichman University in Herzliya, September 11, 2022. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

February 16, 2023, 8:53 am

Shin Bet chief said to warn Ben Gvir he is inciting violence in East Jerusalem

Speaking directly with national security minister, Ronen Bar reportedly says crackdown is seen by Palestinian residents as collective harassment, could drive up terror attacks

By ToI Staff

(From L-R) Police commissioner Kobi Shabtai, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar. (Collage/Flash90)

January 20, 2023, 1:56 am

Security chiefs form task force to determine Shin Bet assistance in fighting crime

Ben Gvir meets with police, Shin Bet chiefs in effort to advance controversial plan to involve security agency in combatting rampant crime in Arab communities

By ToI Staff

Composite image shows Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar (left) and Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90; Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

November 19, 2022, 7:32 pm

Shin Bet head said to warn Netanyahu PA could collapse, worsening security situation

In first briefing since elections, Ronen Bar reported to update PM-designate on range of security issues, including situation in West Bank and Gaza, threat from Iran

By ToI Staff

Ronen Bar, the new head of the Shin Bet, leaves his home in Rishpon on October 11, 2021. (Flash90)

October 1, 2022, 4:51 pm

Shin Bet head said to visit Greece amid scandal over Israeli-made spyware

Security sources cited by Haaretz say travel unrelated to alleged use of ‘Predator’ program against opposition politician

By ToI Staff and Agencies

Yahya Sinwar, Hamas's Gaza governor, speaks during a meeting in Gaza City, on April 30, 2022. (Mahmud Hamas/AFP)

September 25, 2022, 7:15 pm

Hamas says Shin Bet warnings on terror crackdown ‘don’t scare the resistance’

Terror group hits back after Shin Bet chief reported to say that Hamas head can’t make do with calm in Gaza but violence in West Bank if he wants to rehabilitate enclave

By ToI Staff