Ronen Bar approved by gov't as next Shin Bet chief

• Author: YONAH JEREMY BOB
• Published date: 11 October 2021
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

Bar will take the reins of Israel's elite homeland security and intelligence agency as the country confronts a conflict still on low boil with Hamas in Gaza, frequent threats from Hamas and Islamic Jihad West Bank terror cells, addressing the wave of murders of Israeli-Arabs and new technological spying threats.

Speaking outside his home hours before his appointment, he lauded the Shin Bet's "stellar operatives" and said he was excited to move forward.

The government's vetting committee for senior appointments on Friday had already cleared Bar, who until now has publicly simply been known as "R".

The entire political spectrum had been supportive of Bar's nomination following his decades in the agency, including serving as the deputy chief as well as serving in the elite IDF Sayeret Matkal special forces reconnaissance unit and even having had a brief foray with the Mossad.

Briefly, between Wednesday night and Friday, there was sudden concern that his nomination might tank like that of Moshe Edri, who was blocked by the vetting committee in 2018 from becoming chief of police based on a last-minute scandal.

But the Goldenberg Committee for Senior Appointments, led by former Supreme Court justice and state comptroller Eliezer Goldenberg, said it found nothing improper about Bar's conduct once it heard from him, outgoing Shin Bet Director Nadav Argaman and other involved officials.

Since the anonymous letter detailing two unspecified alleged incidents of misconduct against Bar have been rejected and Shin Bet processes are classified, it is unclear whether their substance will ever come to light.

On September 1, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett nominated Bar to succeed Argaman.

Bar beat out the most recent former deputy Shin Bet chief, also known as "R" in the mainly two-way competition.

Prior to June, when Opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu was prime minister, former senior Shin Bet official and Netanyahu's national security council chief Meir Ben-Shabbat had been the favorite.

BUT HE was never seriously considered for the position by Bennett due to his closeness with Netanyahu and objections to his candidacy from within portions of the Shin Bet itself.

Bar is 55, married and has three children.

He earned a university degree in political science and philosophy from Tel Aviv University and holds a master's degree in public management from Harvard University.

Bennett served in the same special forces unit as did Bar during his IDF service, though he is younger...