Announcing his intention to fire Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar on Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plunged Israel back into the constitutional crisis he created in early 2023 with his bid to neuter the judiciary and to concentrate control of all branches of government in his own hands.

Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar’s rise from Sayeret Matkal to leading Israel’s security agency, navigating political shifts and key operations.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that he was seeking to dismiss the head of Israel's internal security agency, who swiftly called the move political and said the premier expected "personal loyalty".