Shin Bet

The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) is the Jewish state's primary internal security service, focusing primarily on internal security, exposing terrorist rings, and intelligence efforts in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Also known as the Shabak, it makes up one of the three arms of Israel's intelligence community, alongside the Mossad (foreign intelligence) and Aman (military intelligence). 

Like the Mossad, despite being a security agency, the Shin Bet does not operate under the Defense Ministry and instead answers to the prime minister.

The current head of the Shin Bet is Ronen Bar, appointed in 2021 by then-prime minister Naftali Bennett.

Read More
Less

Netanyahu to appoint deputy Shin Bet chief as interim leader

Netanyahu previously appointed former navy commander Eli Sharvit, only to rescind the appointment 24 hours later.

Then-Israel Navy chief, V.-Adm. Eli Sharvit speaks at a ceremony in Haifa Naval Base, Israel

Shin Bet chief nomination chaos is symptomatic of a larger problem

At a time when Israel faces complex security challenges and growing regional uncertainty, such disarray in the PMO is more than regrettable – it is reckless.

 Agriculture and Raw Food Security Minister Avi Dichter attends Economic Committee meeting at the Kn

Avi Dichter: PM's staff should not be interacting with Qatar

Negotiations to return Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip are an exception to this advice, Agriculture Minister Avi Dichter added.

  Explosive-making material seized by the IDF and Shin Bet, March 2025.

IDF, Shin Bet raid bomb-making lab in Tulkarm, West Bank

The IDF and Shin Bet also arrested 12 wanted individuals in Tammun and Kabatiya over the past 24 hours, and 15 wanted individuals across the West Bank as a whole.

Israeli public trust in IDF significantly increased under Eyal Zamir - INSS

Zamir himself has a 15% increase in trust compared to February, before he took office.

 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives at the Tel Aviv District Court. March 12, 2025.

'April Fool's Day': Israeli politicians decry PM's cancellation of Shin Bet app't

Benny Gantz said "Netanyahu proved again this morning that for him, political pressure outweighs the good of the state and its security."

Then-Israel Navy chief, V.-Adm. Eli Sharvit speaks at a ceremony in Mount Herzl military cemetery

Can Netanyahu's outsider pick for Shin Bet restore public trust in agency?

If Sharvit does not get the job, it will not be the first time that participation in an anti-judicial reform demonstration hurt a rising career trajectory in a position near the prime minister.

31/03/2025
 US Senator Lindsey Graham speaks outside the White House, in Washington, DC, US, February 28, 2025

Lindsey Graham: Netanyahu pick for new Shin Bet chief 'beyond problematic'

"The statements made by Eli Sharvit about President Trump and his polices will create unnecessary stress at a critical time," Graham noted.

Police forcefully remove MK Naama Lazimi at Jerusalem protest

MKs from Yesh Atid, National Unity, and Democrats, criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s attempts to appoint a new Shin Bet head, despite the possible illegality of the removal of Ronen Bar.

Likud: Arrest of Urich is a coup d'état through arrest warrants

This comes shortly after Netanyahu, as well as two of his aides, Eli Feldstein and Urich, were arrested for questioning as part of the Qatargate scandal on Monday morning.

Subscribe for our daily newsletter
Subscribe for our daily newsletter

By subscribing I accept the terms of use and privacy policy