(Reuters) -Israel’s Supreme Court has ruled that a government decision to sack the head of the domestic intelligence service Shin Bet was “illegal and contrary to law”, Israeli media reported on Wednesday.
In its ruling, the Supreme Court determined that the dismissal was done in violation of the law, and that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a conflict of interest because of an investigation into the “Qatar-Gate” affair.
Netanyahu announced in March that he was sacking Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, sparking protests nationwide. Critics argued that the government was undermining key state institutions and endangering the foundations of Israeli democracy.
Bar announced his resignation in April, saying he would step down on June 15, six weeks after Netanyahu tried to oust him.
The Supreme Court later suspended the government’s bid to sack Bar, who said Netanyahu had wanted to fire him for refusing requests that included spying on Israeli protesters and disrupting the prime minister’s corruption trial, accusations that Netanyahu rejected.
(Reporting by Yomna Ehab, Writing by Muhammad Al Gebaly, Editing by Alex Richardson and Kevin Liffey)
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