Netanyahu Responds to Controversial Shin Bet Statement, Warns Against Undermining Democracy
Jerusalem, April 6, 2025 — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued a sharp response following what he described as a “dangerous and unprecedented” statement by the head of the Shin Bet’s Jewish Division, who reportedly referred to the activities of the Jewish Department as a threat to democracy.
In a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, Netanyahu condemned the remarks, labeling them as a severe and unfounded accusation. He emphasized that such statements require an immediate and thorough investigation into the fundamental operations of the Jewish Division within the Shin Bet.
“In light of this serious decision,” Netanyahu stated, “the Prime Minister will demand a fundamental review of the Jewish Division’s activities in the Shin Bet.”
The Prime Minister also warned against the potential abuse of law enforcement mechanisms to arrest and prosecute citizens without proper procedures or legal basis. “There will be no situation where a government authority arrests citizens of the state without evidence and places them in detention conditions that violate legal and democratic norms,” Netanyahu declared.
He stressed that only in totalitarian regimes do intelligence services operate in this manner, and reiterated that Israel will not become such a regime. “In Israel, there will not be a government of shadows that targets citizens within the state.”
The statement sparked significant reactions across Israel’s political landscape, with some supporting the Prime Minister’s defense of democratic norms, while others warned of political interference in the internal workings of security agencies.
This development comes amid growing tensions between government officials and certain branches of Israel’s security services, raising new questions about oversight, accountability, and the balance of power in the country’s democratic institutions.
