Former Israeli Spy Chief Sues Netanyahu Over October 7

Ronen Bar, former head of Shin Bet, has sued Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over allegations related to Hamas' October 7 attack.

Former Israeli intelligence chief Ronen Barr has sued Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for defamation, accusing him of ignoring warnings ahead of a Hamas attack on October 7, 2023 and trying to shift the blame for security failures.

Barr, who headed Israel's Shin Bet domestic security agency at the time of the attack, filed a 3 million shekel (nearly $1 million) lawsuit on Wednesday.

Netanyahu had accused Barr of withholding information and failing to warn soldiers or evacuate attendees of the Nova music festival. Barr denied the accusations, arguing that Netanyahu was trying to deflect responsibility for the attack, which left around 1,200 dead and 251 hostages. According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, subsequent Israeli military attacks on Gaza have killed more than 74,300 Palestinians.

According to the lawsuit, Shin Bet officers began exchanging information about unusual Hamas activity with the military late on Oct. 6 and issued an alert at 3:03 a.m. Netanyahu's military secretariat was updated at 3:55 a.m., while Chief of Staff Bar briefed his military minister shortly after 6 a.m. Contrary to Netanyahu's statements, Barr denied speaking directly to Israel's chief of military or military intelligence that night.

Barr acknowledged that Shin Bet failed to predict the scale and timing of the attack and to provide adequate warning. He accepted responsibility for those failures, which contributed to his resignation.

However, it said that Netanyahu has repeatedly warned about the danger. Barr cited a February 2023 letter in which he warned that Israel's internal strife and instability in the Palestinian territories could embolden its enemies. In July, he said he had personally raised the possibility of an attack, warning that intelligence agencies might not be able to predict it.

The file details further warnings in September and early October about Hamas' growing capabilities. Barr also claimed that Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected or delayed proposals to target senior Hamas figures and supports a policy of "silence at any cost" in Gaza.

According to this complaint, the Prime Minister continued to allow Qatari money to enter the blockaded area, despite warnings that humanitarian aid would reach the military wing of Hamas.

Netanyahu denied the claims, saying Barr could have reached him through a secure emergency line. Barr said Netanyahu never gave him his personal phone number.

Netanyahu also said he has submitted nearly 1,000 documents challenging Barr's account.

His government was voted out in March 2025 due to a loss of confidence. At the time, Shin Bet was investigating allegations that Netanyahu's aides promoted Qatari interests, which the office denied. Israel's Supreme Court later ruled the dismissal illegal, and Barr resigned in June.

This complaint follows reports that Netanyahu received previous warnings from foreign governments. Haaretz reported in September that UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed had warned him of a possible major Hamas operation ten days before the attack. Netanyahu's office dismissed the claim as "an absolute lie."

The Atlantic and the Wall Street Journal have separately reported warnings from Egyptian officials, while the New York Times revealed that Israeli intelligence obtained a Hamas war plan known as the Wall of Jericho more than a year ago. Netanyahu has denied receiving a warning from Egypt or showing Hamas' plan.

Blame game engulfs Israel ahead of October 7 election - RT Report (Video)

The political fallout comes ahead of Israeli parliamentary elections on October 27, with Netanyahu accusing his critics of using the October 7 attack for political purposes.