Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel backed away from his nominee to lead Israel’s domestic intelligence service on Tuesday, after conservative allies attacked the candidate for criticizing President Trump and Israeli media reported that he had protested judicial overhauls pushed by the government.
Mr. Netanyahu had backed Eli Sharvit, a former commander of Israel’s navy, to lead the Shin Bet intelligence agency after he dismissed his predecessor, Ronen Bar. But the Israeli leader dropped Mr. Sharvit a day after the Monday announcement amid a backlash from the right, partly because he had written a column two months ago criticizing Mr. Trump for rolling back policies to fight climate change.
Mr. Netanyahu’s office said that he had met with Mr. Sharvit to inform him that he would pursue other candidates for the job, without specifying a reason. As the country’s domestic security agency, the Shin Bet plays a key role in the war in Gaza and Israel’s decades-long occupation of the West Bank.
Mr. Netanyahu removed Mr. Bar from the post last month, saying he could no longer trust him. Critics called the move an attempt by Mr. Netanyahu to purge dissenting views from the top ranks of Israel’s security establishment and the decision prompted protests.
Under Mr. Bar’s direction, the Shin Bet has been involved in investigating some of Mr. Netanyahu’s aides’ ties with Qatar, including over accusations that they received payments from people connected to the Qatari government. Israel’s Supreme Court is scheduled to hear petitions against Mr. Bar’s removal by next week, and Israeli legal experts say it may reverse Mr. Netanyahu’s decision.
Mr. Netanyahu’s left-wing and centrist opponents had feared that he would try to tighten his grip over the agency by appointing a close adviser. But many hailed Mr. Sharvit, who retired from the military in 2021, as an experienced and capable soldier.
