Former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar evacuated from UAE security conference over suspected Iranian threat

Former Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) chief Ronen Bar was evacuated from the United Arab Emirates earlier this month after Israeli officials received information indicating a possible threat against him and his wife from elements linked to Iran, according to Hebrew media reports.

Bar and his wife, Dafna Bar-Agassi, were attending a security conference hosted by UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The gathering included security and intelligence officials from numerous countries. Following the warning, the couple was reportedly extracted from the country and flown back to Israel.

The warning surfaced unexpectedly and was kept quiet for several days.

The incident highlights the continued security concerns surrounding Bar, one of Israel's most prominent former intelligence officials, whose tenure as Shin Bet chief included the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack and the political turmoil that followed.

Bar led the Shin Bet from Oct. 13, 2021, until June 15, 2025, after serving for several years as deputy to his predecessor, Nadav Argaman. During a career that followed service in the IDF's elite Sayeret Matkal unit, he rose through the ranks from field agent to head of the operations division, head of the resource development department, and ultimately deputy chief of the agency in 2018.

On Oct. 16, 2023, just days after the Hamas attack, Bar became one of the first senior Israeli officials to publicly accept responsibility for failing to prevent it.

"The responsibility is mine. Despite a series of actions we carried out, unfortunately, on Saturday, we were unable to establish sufficient deterrence so as to thwart the attack. There will be time for investigations. Now we are fighting," he wrote in a memo to Shin Bet employees.

Despite the fallout from Oct. 7, Bar was expected to remain Shin Bet chief until mid-2026. However, in March 2025, Prime Minister Netanyahu announced that he had lost confidence in Bar and the security cabinet unanimously voted to dismiss him.

The High Court of Justice later blocked the move. Weeks afterward, Bar resigned, saying he did not wish to remain in a position critical to Israel's national security without the confidence of the political leadership.

Bar subsequently argued that his fallout with Netanyahu stemmed from his decision to investigate allegations that Qatari money had been used to influence individuals in the Prime Minister's Office.

He was also among the senior officials who called for a state commission of inquiry into the failures surrounding Oct. 7, a proposal Netanyahu has opposed.

In a legal affidavit, Bar further alleged that Netanyahu had "pressed him to spy on those Israeli citizens who had led and funded anti-government protests" and "demanded personal loyalty above the rulings of the Supreme Court in the event of a constitutional crisis."

Despite his departure from the Shin Bet, Bar has remained active in public and security-related affairs. His participation in the UAE conference reflected his continued engagement with international security circles even after leaving office.