Itzik Bonzel, a bereaved father who lost his son Amit in Gaza fighting in December 2023, submitted an affidavit over the weekend supporting the government's firing of Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar.
A charged High Court of Justice hearing took place two weeks ago on the legality Bar's firing, with the judges hearing arguments by the government for his firing, and the attorney-general’s office and petitioners against it. Responses from Bar, the government, and possibly eventually the court, are expected today and tomorrow.
Before the hearing, Bonzel charged at the packed room that the whole discussion was a waste of time and an embarrassment; Bar should leave to honor the responsibility he has in the October 7 massacre, and as he has said he would resign, taking time to debate the legality of that resignation is shameful, said Bonzel.
During the hearing, the judges heard from representatives of some bereaved families, including Bonzel himself.
Bonzel included in his affidavit submitted to the court a book dedication that Bar had given him during a meeting between the two, held after the hearing.
In a book by former British chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, Bar wrote to Bonzel, “There is no leadership without responsibility and accountability. Leadership, therefore, is measured much more accurately by the degree to which leaders take responsibility after a failure, rather than the praises they get for their successes. Anyone who failed to prevent the October 7 massacre carries that responsibility – including myself, and this is a duty which I will fulfill soon.”
Bar to resign soon?
During a news blitz carried out last week, Bonzel claimed that in the meeting, Bar told him he would fully resign from his position soon – within the next few weeks, or at most two months from now.
“The conversation lasted for over two hours, at his request. It was difficult both for us and for him,” Bonzel told 103FM last week.
He continued, “This is a man who, if he had taken responsibility as he should have and done things properly, my son Amit would be alive today… And I am not the only one, there are hundreds if not thousands of other Israelis who have been hurt from this.”
He said that his main demand from Bar was to know when he would resign “and would stop hurting this holy agency [the Shin Bet].”
Sarah Ben-Nun contributed to this report.
