The chairman of the US Senate Intelligence Committee, Republican Senator Tom Cotton, commented on the Israeli Supreme Court's decision not to confirm the dismissal of Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, and criticized the move.
"It’s not a 'threat to democracy' for an elected head of state to have the power to remove the chief of an intelligence service—it’s essential to democracy. And if Prime Minister Netanyahu has lost confidence in this intelligence chief, how can the U.S. government have confidence in him?" Cotton wrote on X.
The remarks were made against the backdrop of the political and legal controversy in Israel surrounding the prime minister's decision to dismiss Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, who does not enjoy Netanyahu's trust.
This week, the Supreme Court ruled that Bar must be allowed to remain in his position for the time being and that no announcement about his replacement can be made, effectively freezing his dismissal.