Likud MK Tali Gottlieb was removed by security after shouting disrupted proceedings. Former Shin Bet chief Yoram Cohen and other ex-security officials were present to show support for Bar.
The President of the Israeli Supreme Court suspended a high-profile hearing on Monday regarding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s controversial dismissal of Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, following chaotic scenes in the courtroom.
According to Israel’s Channel 12, the chief justice halted the session due to escalating tensions and shouting matches between opposing camps.
“No court in the world would agree to conduct a session in this manner,” the judge said. “What is happening is serious, and the rule of law requires a session without threats.” The hearing later resumed without a public audience.
The courtroom erupted into verbal clashes between supporters of Netanyahu and backers of Bar.
Shin Bet Chief Says Netanyahu Fired Him after Refusing to Meddle in Corruption Trial
Likud MK Tali Gottlieb was removed by security after shouting disrupted proceedings. Former Shin Bet chief Yoram Cohen and other ex-security officials were present to show support for Bar.
Political Fallout
Justice Minister Yariv Levin reacted by saying the uproar in court reflected “the screams of those whose decision was taken away by arrogant judges.”
Israel’s Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu blamed the escalating tensions on “years of unchecked judicial activism,” while Transportation Minister Miri Regev accused the court of siding with “violent protesters” who disrupt Knesset sessions.
Israel’s opposition leader Yair Lapid sharply criticized the government, calling it a “criminal administration” that is “inciting unrest in the Supreme Court and undermining the rule of law.”
Bar’s dismissal, announced by Netanyahu last month, was challenged by opposition lawmakers and civil society groups. Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara also opposed the move, calling it compromised by a “personal conflict of interest.”
‘Schock’ in Israel as Trump Announces High-Stakes US-Iran Talks
The Supreme Court had already issued a temporary order halting Bar’s dismissal, and is set to deliberate on whether the prime minister acted lawfully. Netanyahu claimed he had lost confidence in Bar over the Shin Bet’s failure to prevent the October 7, 2023, attack.
The decision triggered widespread protests, with thousands accusing Netanyahu of eroding democratic institutions.
In official letters to the government and the court, Ronen Bar maintained that his dismissal was politically motivated, professionally unjustified, and a signal that loyalty to Netanyahu, not the state, is being demanded of law enforcement agencies.
(PC, AJA)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
