Middle East & Africa| Bibi v the Shin Bet
Netanyahu’s decision to sack his security chief will not end well
Another crisis in Israel looms
Benjamin Netanyahu
Photograph: Eyevine
AT FIRST GLANCE it would seem that Binyamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, was acting within his powers when he announced his decision on March 16th to fire Ronen Bar, the head of the Shin Bet, Israel’s domestic-security service. The law allows the government to terminate the Shin Bet chief’s five-year tenure prematurely. He answers directly to the prime minister and as Mr Netanyahu explained in a message to the nation, there was “ongoing distrust” between him and Mr Bar.