Benjamin Netanyahu-Ronen Bar storm: "Look at everything that happened 20 years back"

Ilan Lotan, a former senior Shin Bet official, sharply criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an interview on 103FM amid his conflict with Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar. Lotan claimed Netanyahu accuses Bar of intentional treason, and that Netanyahu's repeated mantra "I didn't know" is familiar from past serious events. He called for examining the broader picture.

Ilan Lotan, a former senior Shin Bet official, sharply criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an interview on 103FM, against the backdrop of the publicized conflict between him and Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar. Lotan argued that Netanyahu is well aware of the standard procedure for communication between the prime minister and heads of security agencies, which goes through the military secretary, and therefore the claim that Bar hid information from him is an accusation of treason. According to Lotan, Netanyahu's repeated mantra "I didn't know," "they didn't tell me," and "they didn't pull my sleeve" is familiar from serious past events. He added that the indictment filed against Bar opens a window to the importance of establishing a state commission of inquiry. Lotan pointed to similar criticisms voiced in the past by former security chiefs like Meir Dagan and Tamir Pardo against Netanyahu's performance, and called for looking at the broader picture of 20 years back.