Latest news with #Sharvit
Reuters
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Israel's Netanyahu withdraws nomination of candidate for intelligence agency
JERUSALEM, April 1 (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has withdrawn his nomination of former navy chief Eli Sharvit to lead the domestic intelligence agency Shin Bet only a day after making it, a statement from his office said on Tuesday. Netanyahu thanked Sharvit for accepting the nomination "but informed him that after further thought, he intends to examine other candidates", it said, giving no further reasons for the decision and naming no other candidate. Israeli media reports said that Sharvit had taken part in the huge street protests that shook Israel in 2023 over Netanyahu's drive to restrict the power of the Supreme Court and overhaul the judiciary. In a statement, Sharvit said he had agreed to take on the role of leading Shin Bet and he had full confidence in its capacity to meet the "complex challenges that have arisen in these days". Netanyahu's nomination of Sharvit came in the middle of a bitter dispute over the current head of the Shin Bet intelligence service, Ronen Bar. The move to fire Bar, who has presided over an investigation into allegations of financial ties between Qatar and a number of aides in Netanyahu's office, has been held up by a temporary injunction from the Supreme Court, which will consider the case next week. Netanyahu's move to dismiss Bar, a member of the Israeli team negotiating a return of hostages from Gaza, has provoked large demonstrations by protesters who accuse the prime minister of undermining key state institutions for political ends. Netanyahu has dismissed the so-called "Qatargate" inquiry by police and Shin Bet as a politically motivated witch-hunt. He has said he lost confidence in Bar and blamed Shin Bet for intelligence failures led to the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel which precipitated the Gaza war.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Israel's Netanyahu withdraws nomination of candidate for intelligence agency
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has withdrawn his nomination of former navy chief Eli Sharvit to lead the domestic intelligence agency Shin Bet only a day after making it, a statement from his office said on Tuesday. Netanyahu thanked Sharvit for accepting the nomination "but informed him that after further thought, he intends to examine other candidates", it said, giving no further reasons for the decision and naming no other candidate. Israeli media reports said that Sharvit had taken part in the huge street protests that shook Israel in 2023 over Netanyahu's drive to restrict the power of the Supreme Court and overhaul the judiciary. In a statement, Sharvit said he had agreed to take on the role of leading Shin Bet and he had full confidence in its capacity to meet the "complex challenges that have arisen in these days". Netanyahu's nomination of Sharvit came in the middle of a bitter dispute over the current head of the Shin Bet intelligence service, Ronen Bar. The move to fire Bar, who has presided over an investigation into allegations of financial ties between Qatar and a number of aides in Netanyahu's office, has been held up by a temporary injunction from the Supreme Court, which will consider the case next week. Netanyahu's move to dismiss Bar, a member of the Israeli team negotiating a return of hostages from Gaza, has provoked large demonstrations by protesters who accuse the prime minister of undermining key state institutions for political ends. Netanyahu has dismissed the so-called "Qatargate" inquiry by police and Shin Bet as a politically motivated witch-hunt. He has said he lost confidence in Bar and blamed Shin Bet for intelligence failures led to the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel which precipitated the Gaza war.
Khaleej Times
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Khaleej Times
'Beyond problematic': Israel PM Netanyahu drops security chief nominee under fire from Trump ally
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Tuesday he had reversed a decision to appoint former navy commander Vice-Admiral Eli Sharvit as security agency chief following criticism, including from a key US senator. Netanyahu had announced Sharvit's appointment on Monday, pushing back against a supreme court decision to freeze his government's move to dismiss incumbent director Ronen Bar. It later emerged that the former naval chief had publicly opposed key policies of the Netanyahu government and US President Donald Trump. "The prime minister thanked Vice-Admiral Sharvit for his willingness to be called to duty but informed him that, after further consideration, he intends to examine other candidates," Netanyahu's office said in a statement. The abrupt about-turn by the prime minister on the key security appointment drew condemnation from the opposition. "The head of the Shin Bet is not just another appointment. It's not a job that you announce and regret after 24 hours because of a few screams," said opposition leader Yair Lapid. "This is the holiest of holies, it's a violation of state security," he said on social media. Former defence minister Benny Gantz echoed Lapid's remarks. "Netanyahu proved again this morning: for him, political pressure outweighs the good of the state and its security," he said in a post. The prime minister announced Bar's dismissal on March 21, citing an "ongoing lack of trust", but the supreme court swiftly suspended the decision until April 8. The move to dismiss him has sparked daily mass protests in Jerusalem. On Monday, hours after Sharvit's appointment was announced, reports began surfacing that he had been among tens of thousands of Israelis who took to the streets in 2023 to oppose the Netanyahu government's attempts to reform the judiciary. Israeli media reports also recalled that Sharvit, who served in the military for 36 years, five of them as head of the navy, had supported a 2022 agreement on the maritime border with Lebanon that Netanyahu had opposed. 'Beyond problematic' It was also revealed that the nominee had penned an opinion piece criticising the US president's policies on climate change, prompting staunch Trump ally, Senator Lindsey Graham, to criticise his appointment in a post on X. "While it is undeniably true that America has no better friend than Israel, the appointment of Eli Sharvit to be the new leader of the Shin Bet is beyond problematic," Graham wrote on Monday. "There has never been a better supporter for the State of Israel than President Trump. The statements made by Eli Sharvit about President Trump and his polices will create unnecessary stress at a critical time. My advice to my Israeli friends is change course and do better vetting." Sharvit's criticism of the US president was published by Israeli financial newspaper Calcalist on January 23 under the headline: "Not just a political mistake: Trump is pushing the earth to the abyss." Israeli opposition leaders have warned that if the top court overturns Bar's dismissal, the country could face a constitutional crisis. Legal experts told AFP on Monday that Netanyahu had so far not violated any law in his moves to find a replacement for Bar. But Gantz has said that no decision should be taken on the leadership of the Shin Bet until after the supreme court's decision.
Al-Ahram Weekly
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Israel PM drops security chief nominee under fire from Trump ally - War on Gaza
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Tuesday he had reversed a decision to appoint former navy commander Vice Admiral Eli Sharvit as security agency chief following criticism, including from a key US senator. Related What Netanyahu wants Netanyahu had announced Sharvit's appointment on Monday, pushing back against a supreme court decision to freeze his government's move to dismiss incumbent director Ronen Bar. It later emerged that the former naval chief had publicly opposed key policies of the Netanyahu government and US President Donald Trump. "The prime minister thanked Vice Admiral Sharvit for his willingness to be called to duty but informed him that, after further consideration, he intends to examine other candidates," Netanyahu's office said in a statement. The abrupt about-turn by the prime minister on the key security appointment drew condemnation from the opposition. "The head of the Shin Bet is not just another appointment. It's not a job that you announce and regret after 24 hours because of a few screams," said opposition leader Yair Lapid. "This is the holiest of holies, it's a violation of state security," he said on social media. Former defence minister Benny Gantz echoed Lapid's remarks. "Netanyahu proved again this morning: for him, political pressure outweighs the good of the state and its security," he said in a post. The prime minister announced Bar's dismissal on March 21, citing an "ongoing lack of trust", but the supreme court swiftly suspended the decision until April 8. The move to dismiss him has sparked daily mass protests in Jerusalem. On Monday, hours after Sharvit's appointment was announced, reports began surfacing that he had been among tens of thousands of Israelis who took to the streets in 2023 to oppose the Netanyahu government's attempts to reform the judiciary. Israeli media reports also recalled that Sharvit, who served in the military for 36 years, five of them as head of the navy, had supported a 2022 agreement on the maritime border with Lebanon that Netanyahu had opposed. 'Beyond problematic' It was also revealed that the nominee had penned an opinion piece criticising the US president's policies on climate change, prompting staunch Trump ally, Senator Lindsey Graham, to criticise his appointment in a post on X. "While it is undeniably true that America has no better friend than Israel, the appointment of Eli Sharvit to be the new leader of the Shin Bet is beyond problematic," Graham wrote on Monday. "There has never been a better supporter for the State of Israel than President Trump. The statements made by Eli Sharvit about President Trump and his polices will create unnecessary stress at a critical time. My advice to my Israeli friends is change course and do better vetting." Sharvit's criticism of the US president was published by Israeli financial newspaper Calcalist on January 23 under the headline: "Not just a political mistake: Trump is pushing the earth to the abyss." Israeli opposition leaders have warned that if the top court overturns Bar's dismissal, the country could face a constitutional crisis. Legal experts told AFP on Monday that Netanyahu had so far not violated any law in his moves to find a replacement for Bar. But Gantz has said that no decision should be taken on the leadership of the Shin Bet until after the supreme court's decision. Bar's relationship with the Netanyahu government soured after he blamed the executive for Hamas's October 2023 attack, and following a Shin Bet probe into alleged covert payments from Qatar to a Netanyahu aide. Netanyahu testified in the investigation on Monday denouncing it as a "political witch hunt" aimed at "preventing the dismissal" of Bar. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
New York Times
01-04-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Netanyahu Drops Nominee for Spy Chief After Backlash
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel backed away from his nominee for the head of Israel's domestic intelligence service on Tuesday after conservative allies attacked him for criticizing President Trump and Israeli media reported that he had protested judicial overhauls pushed by Mr. Netanyahu's government. Mr. Netanyahu had backed Eli Sharvit, a former commander of Israel's navy, to lead the Shin Bet intelligence agency after he dismissed his predecessor, Ronen Bar, a decision that prompted protests. But the Israeli leader dropped Mr. Sharvit a day after the Monday announcement after a backlash from the right, partly because he had written a column two months ago criticizing Mr. Trump for rolling back policies to fight climate change. Mr. Netanyahu's office said that he had met with Mr. Sharvit to inform him that he would pursue other candidates for the job, without specifying a reason. As the country's domestic security agency, The Shin Bet plays a key role in the war in Gaza and Israel's decades-long occupation of the West Bank. Mr. Netanyahu removed Mr. Bar from the post last month, saying he could no longer trust him. Critics called the move an attempt by Mr. Netanyahu to purge dissenting views from the top ranks of Israel's security establishment and the decision prompted protests. Under Mr. Bar's direction, the Shin Bet has been involved in investigating some of Mr. Netanyahu's aides' ties with Qatar. Israel's Supreme Court is scheduled to hear petitions against Mr. Bar's removal by next week, and Israeli legal experts say it may reverse Mr. Netanyahu's decision. Mr. Netanyahu's left-wing and centrist opponents had feared that he would try to tighten his grip over the agency by appointing a close adviser. But many hailed Mr. Sharvit, who retired from the military in 2021, as an experienced and capable soldier. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. Already a subscriber? Log in. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
