In a move that went against widespread protests, Israel's cabinet has given the green light to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's proposal to dismiss the head of the country's internal intelligence agency, Shin Bet. Netanyahu's decision to remove Ronen Bar, the chief of Shin Bet, was fueled by what he described as a loss of confidence in Bar following their disagreements during Israel's multifaceted conflict that began in October 2023.

More than 100,000 demonstrators gathered in Jerusalem in opposition to the government's attempt to weaken oversight on its activities, resulting in clashes between protesters and law enforcement. This decision, which occurred post the breakdown of a ceasefire with Hamas, led to Israeli airstrikes in Gaza and escalating tensions with financial repercussions.

The dispute between Netanyahu and Bar revolved around failures to anticipate a Hamas attack, hostage negotiations, and alleged ties between Israeli officials and Qatar, leading to an investigation by Shin Bet into the latter. Bar, who did not attend the cabinet meeting, criticized the resolution seeking his removal as being driven by personal agendas and hindering legitimate investigations.