Opposition leader MK Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid) on Monday morning responded to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's declaration that he intends to fire ISA chief Ronen Bar.
"The moment the ISA began investigating his office, Netanyahu decided to fire Ronen Bar in a process that is urgent, paranoid, and a clear conflict of interest," Lapid claimed to Kan Reshet Bet.
"Loss of faith is a reason to fire someone - so the first to go should be Netanyahu. The State of Israel has lost faith in him."
Lapid and the leaders of the other opposition parties, Benny Gantz (National Unity), Avigdor Liberman (Yisrael Beytenu) and Yair Golan (Democrats) are expected to meet Monday morning in the Knesset to discuss the matter.
On Sunday, Netanyahu held a 14-minute meeting with Bar, during which he notified him that he informed him that he will bring a draft decision to the government this week to conclude his service.
"I have decided to submit a draft decision to the Government this week on concluding the service of the Director of the ISA. I wish to clarify: I have nothing but appreciation for the men and women of the ISA. They are doing important and dedicated work for the security of us all. As Prime Minister, who is responsible for the ISA, I am convinced that this step is crucial in order to restore the organization, to achieve all of our war objectives, and to prevent the next tragedy."
Democrats Party leader Yair Golan criticized the move, saying, "The dismissal of the head of the ISA is a desperate attempt by a criminal defendant to be rid of one who is loyal to Israel and who is investigating Netanyahu and his close associates for serious and dark crimes and who is not willing to whitewash them."
"The more the investigations around him proliferate and reveal problematic connections, the more Netanyahu goes into a frenzy, lashes out, fires, threatens, and tries to destroy the gatekeepers.
"The dismissal of the head of the Shin Bet will not pass as if nothing had happened. There will be massive opposition, we will fight with all our might and we will not allow Netanyahu to turn Israel into a dictatorship of a corrupt man."
The Movement for Quality Government claimed, "The dismissal of the head of the ISA is a declaration of war on the rule of law."
