TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — The head of Israel’s internal security service says he will resign in June over the failure of his agency to warn of Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attacks — defusing an escalating battle with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar announced his resignation Monday, saying he will formally step down June 15.
“After years on many fronts, one night, on the southern front, the skies came down,” Bar said during remarks at a memorial event for fallen Shin Bet soldiers. “All systems collapsed. The Shin Bet also failed to give a warning.”
Netanyahu moved to fire Bar last month over what he said was a crisis of confidence surrounding Hamas’ attack. But the step sparked an uproar in Israel because the agency is investigating ties between the Israeli leader’s office and Qatar — a key mediator between Hamas and Israel over the war in Gaza.
Critics said the firing was tainted by a conflict of interest meant to derail that probe, a charge Netanyahu denies.
Israel’s Supreme Court froze the firing following multiple legal challenges against it and called on the sides to reach a compromise.
In his address, Bar said the court case “is not about my personal case but about the independence of the next heads of the Shin Bet."
He said the agency’s “proper functioning is of inestimable importance to the security of the state and to Israeli democracy. I have been fighting for this for the past month, and this week the necessary infrastructure was laid before the High Court of Justice. I hope that the ruling that will be given will ensure that the Shin Bet will be preserved as such, over time and without fear.”
Bar filed a document with the Supreme Court last week that accused Netanyahu of trying to exploit the power of the agency for political and personal gain. Among the accusations, he claimed Netanyahu wanted him to spy on anti-government protesters and pressured him to effectively scuttle Netanyahu’s corruption trial by claiming the prime minister could not testify due to security concerns.
Netanyahu called the accusations lies and responded with his own accusations against Bar.
Netanyahu frequently complains of a “deep state” of civil servants and unelected judges that he says are out to topple him. Good governance groups say the Shin Bet chief is meant to be an independent figure and fear that Bar’s ouster will clear the way for Netanyahu to place a loyalist into the sensitive post.
The Shin Bet is responsible for monitoring Palestinian militant groups, and Bar has previously acknowledged his agency’s failures in preventing Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack. But in a report issued in March, the Shin Bet also criticized Netanyahu, saying failed government policies helped create the climate that led to the attack. Netanyahu has tried to blame the failures on the army and security agencies and repeatedly resisted calls for an official state commission of inquiry that would look into the government decision-making as well.
Bar follows a number of senior security figures to resign or be fired in the wake of the Oct. 7 attack -- including the former defense minister and army chief.
Speaking at the memorial, Bar said everyone who "failed to provide a security blanket that day must bow our heads in humility before the murdered, the dead, the wounded, the kidnapped and their families and act accordingly. Everyone.”
The Qatar investigation is the latest in a series of scandals to hit Netanyahu. The Shin Bet is looking into allegations that close advisers worked as paid consultants for Qatar —- an Arab country that does not have full diplomatic relations with Israel — while also working for the prime minister. Netanyahu, who is on trial for a series of corruption charges, has not been directly implicated in the scandal.
Netanyahu early this month attempted to name a former navy commander as the new Shin Bet chief. But he was forced to cancel the appointment less than 24 hours later after learning that his nominee had participated in anti-government protests.
FILE - Ronen Bar, chief of Israel's domestic Shin Bet security agency, attends a ceremony marking Memorial Day for fallen soldiers of Israel's wars and victims of attacks at Jerusalem's Mount Herzl military cemetery, May 13, 2024. (Gil Cohen-Magen/Pool photo via AP, File)
ADELAIDE, Australia (AP) — Travis Head took off his helmet and gloves, dropped to his knees and planted a kiss on the pitch after posting a century in a fourth consecutive test on his home ground at the Adelaide Oval.
It was trademark “Travball" on Day 3 of the third Ashes cricket test.
The freewheeling Australia batter had a huge reprieve on 99 when he slashed at a Jofra Archer delivery and was dropped by Harry Brook at gully. That was after he fended a Joe Root tweaker and took off for a quick single, only to be sent back by batting partner Alex Carey.
Head faced eight balls without scoring while on 99, then went for broke and advanced down the pitch and drove the ball back over Root’s head to the long-on boundary to move to 103.
It was his 11th century in 63 tests, and second in five innings since being promoted from No. 5 to open the innings in Perth. That's where his match-winning innings sealed Australia's eight-wicket win to open the series.
By stumps Friday, Head was unbeaten on 142 and his unbroken partnership with fellow South Australian Carey (52) was 122. Australia was 271-4, with a lead of 356.
Head said his new-look celebration of the century was designed to get a laugh out of his teammates.
“I got the rise out of the dressing room that I expected," he said in comments published by Fox Sports. He added, more seriously, that his hometown "wicket has looked after me over the last few years.
"I didn’t think I’d get one, so to get four (centuries at the Adelaide Oval) is not too bad. I felt alright.”
Brook took two excellent catches in the slips to remove Marnus Labuschagne (13) and Cameron Green (7) off Josh Tongue's bowling, but the one he missed against Head was costly.
The Australians went in to bat after dismissing England for 286 just before lunch, after Ben Stokes and Archer helped cut the first-innings margin to 85 with a record 106-run ninth-wicket stand.
Stokes walked off the field yelling at himself and shaking his head after being bowled for 83 by Mitchell Starc, bringing an end to a defiant, 198-ball innings that dragged his team back into the contest.
After losing the first two tests in Perth and Brisbane and allowing Australia to post 371 in the first innings here, England's chances of keeping the five-test series alive seemed remote when Stokes went to the crease on Day 2 with the total at 71-4.
With England on the verge of collapsing at 168-8, Stokes joined forces with No. 10 Archer to bat out the evening session. The pair resumed Friday with England at 213 for eight, still 158 behind.
Australia wanted to clean up the last two wickets quickly but Stokes and Archer, who took a five-wicket haul when England was bowling, dug in.
Stokes stepped down the wicket to Scott Boland for a driven boundary to bring up the 50 partnership off 89 balls, then raised his half-century with a single off 159 deliveries. It was his slowest 50 in test cricket — his 37th — but vital for his team.
Not long after, Archer took a single off Cummins to reach his first test half-century off 97 balls, bringing England's deficit under 100.
But the innings ended relatively quickly after left-armer Starc bowled Stokes with a delivery from over the wicket that angled back. The Stokes-Archer partnership was the highest ever for the ninth wicket for England at Adelaide.
All that time in the sun had an impact on England's bowling attack, though. Archer, who took five wickets in the first innings, took 0-15 in 10 overs on Friday. Stokes, England's highest wicket-taker this year, didn't bowl and had to leave the field for a short while in the evening session.
England is capable of tracking down a big target in the fourth innings, chasing 370-plus against India twice in the last three years, so Bazball won't be completely dispensed with despite Stokes' stoic first innings.
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
Australia's Travis Head celebrates after scoring century during play on day three of the third Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Adelaide, Australia, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/James Elsby)
Australia's Travis Head kisses the pitch after scoring a century during play on day three of the third Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Adelaide, Australia, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/James Elsby)
Australia's Travis Head reacts after scoring 50 runs during play on day three of the third Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Adelaide, Australia, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/James Elsby)
Australia's Marnus Labuschagne reacts while batting during play on day three of the third Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Adelaide, Australia, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/James Elsby)
England's Brydon Carse, left, celebrates with Ben Stokes after dismissing Australia's Jake Weatherald, during play on day three of the third Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Adelaide, Australia, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/James Elsby)
England's Jofra Archer plays a shot during play on day two of the third Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Adelaide, Australia, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/James Elsby)
England batsmen Jofra Archer, right, and Ben Stokes talk during play on day three of the third Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Adelaide, Australia, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/James Elsby)
England's Ben Stokes bats during play on day three of the third Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Adelaide, Australia, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/James Elsby)
