As the Israel-Hamas war continues, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has chosen former Navy commander Vice Adm. (res.) Eli Sharvit as the next head of Shin Bet. On Sunday, the Prime Minister’s Office confirmed that Sharvit will replace Ronen Bar, whom the cabinet had voted to remove earlier this month. However, Bar remains in his current position due to a temporary injunction by the Israeli High Court of Justice. According to The Times of Israel, while the court has frozen Bar’s dismissal, it has permitted Netanyahu to conduct interviews and quickly appoint a replacement.

According to the PMO statement, Sharvit played a key role in designing Israel’s naval defence capabilities and was responsible for overseeing complex operations against Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran. “The Shin Bet is an organisation with much credit to its name,” the PMO stated, adding that it “underwent a severe trauma on October 7.” Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed confidence in Sharvit, saying he is “convinced that Sharvit is the right person to lead the Shin Bet on a path that will continue the organisation’s glorious tradition.”

In Israel, the last time a navy chief was appointed as head of the Shin Bet was when Ami Ayalon took over after the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. Earlier this month, despite widespread protests, the Israeli government voted to remove Bar from his position. Netanyahu justified the decision by saying he had lost trust in the Shin Bet chief following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, which resulted in 1,200 deaths and 251 people being taken hostage. Meanwhile, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, who is also facing dismissal by the government, warned that removing the Bar could face legal challenges. This is due to an ongoing Shin Bet investigation into alleged connections between Netanyahu’s top aides and Qatar, a known supporter of Hamas.

Bar has vowed to remain with the Shin Bet until all remaining hostages in Gaza are freed. He has also demanded the establishment of a state commission to investigate the Hamas attack, a move the government opposes. In response, an Israeli court has scheduled a hearing on April 8 regarding petitions challenging his dismissal.

Meanwhile, after Sharvit’s appointment was announced, opposition leaders acknowledged his strong leadership as a former Navy chief. Still, they insisted he must demonstrate loyalty to the law and the state rather than the Israeli prime minister.