Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich spoke with Arutz Sheva - Israel National News to explain his boycott of meetings with ISA director Ronen Bar. "We are always warned what will happen if, God forbid, power is in the hands of public officials," Smotrich said. "I think this is a completely unfounded argument. We see what happens when we leave power in the hands of a corrupt force, in the hands of a group of officials who stay in the shadows. We see what it is to trample on civil and human rights for personal gain." "We see how journalists are investigated, how they are listened to, how cases are fabricated - this is a real danger to democracy and we are determined to fight to return the state to the people." Related articles: Bereaved parents announce hunger strike demanding Bar's dismissal Supernova chief of security files complaint against ISA head 'Ronen Bar's misconduct does not stain you' 'Ronen Bar took a political side and lost trust' "Ronen Bar has degraded the ISA and caused immense damage to it and to public trust in it, and the Attorney General who tramples every standard of law, justice, morality, and equality in her fight against the elected government should also go." The Finance Minister declared his own goal: "We will return power to the people, to public officials, and we will fix what needs to be fixed." In conclusion, he clarified that he is certainly not calling for security work to come to a halt: "I will not participate in any discussion where Ron Bar is present. I urge the Prime Minister to hold this critical meeting without the presence of the head of the ISA." Nevertheless, due to Minister Bezalel Smotrich's announcement that he would refuse to attend meetings with Bar, a limited security meeting that was supposed to be held today at the Gaza Division to discuss the war in Gaza has been cancelled.