Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pushed back against a libel lawsuit filed by former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar regarding warnings ahead of the October 7 attack.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded on Wednesday to a libel suit filed against him by former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar. Bar's lawsuit alleges that the prime minister defamed him to shift responsibility for the failures surrounding the October 7 Hamas attack. In response, Netanyahu rejected Bar's claim that he could not contact him on the morning of the assault.

Contact Claims and Warnings

In the libel suit, Ronen Bar detailed at least 20 warnings sent to the prime minister's office in the hours before the Hamas attack. The lawsuit also argues that the Shin Bet did not conceal information, noting that warnings began circulating to all security agencies at 3:03 a.m. on October 7. Furthermore, Bar's suit states that Netanyahu did not respond or intervene even after the massacre began. Netanyahu struck back at these allegations on Wednesday, arguing that Bar possessed his red phone number and could have called immediately. The prime minister also stated that the Shin Bet security detail accompanying him could have reached him within minutes. Yashar party chair Gadi Eisenkot responded to the allegations by calling for a State Commission of Inquiry into the disaster.

Responsibility and Phone Access

Netanyahu rejected Bar's assertion that he could not contact him because he allegedly lacked the prime minister's personal telephone number. Questioning the former security chief's account, Netanyahu asked on social media how many lives could have been saved if Bar had called on time. In a statement issued on his behalf, Bar acknowledged his accountability, stating that as the head of the service, he bears responsibility for the Shin Bet's failure to provide the required intelligence regarding the attack and its timing.