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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel backed away from his nominee for the head of Israel\u2019s domestic intelligence service on Tuesday after conservative allies attacked him for criticizing President Trump and Israeli media reported that he had protested judicial overhauls pushed by Mr. Netanyahu\u2019s government. <\/p>\n
Mr. Netanyahu had backed<\/a> Eli Sharvit, a former commander of Israel\u2019s navy, to lead the Shin Bet intelligence agency after he dismissed his predecessor, Ronen Bar, a decision that prompted protests. But the Israeli leader dropped Mr. Sharvit a day after the Monday announcement after 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.<\/p>\n Mr. Netanyahu\u2019s 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\u2019s domestic security agency, The Shin Bet plays a key role in the war in Gaza and Israel\u2019s decades-long occupation of the West Bank. <\/p>\n Mr. Netanyahu removed Mr. Bar from the post<\/a> 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\u2019s security establishment and the decision prompted protests. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Under Mr. Bar\u2019s direction, the Shin Bet has been involved in investigating some of Mr. Netanyahu\u2019s aides\u2019 ties with Qatar. Israel\u2019s Supreme Court is scheduled to hear petitions against Mr. Bar\u2019s removal by next week, and Israeli legal experts say it may reverse Mr. Netanyahu\u2019s decision. <\/p>\n Mr. Netanyahu\u2019s 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. <\/p>\n There was a fierce and immediate right-wing response, however. <\/p>\n In 2023, Mr. Sharvit participated in demonstrations against Mr. Netanyahu\u2019s judicial overhaul, according to Yediot Aharonot, a major Israeli newspaper. The proposals, which aimed to weaken Israel\u2019s judiciary, prompted mass protests as many Israelis decried them as a threat to the country\u2019s democracy. Mr. Sharvit did not immediately respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n Tally Gotliv, a lawmaker from Mr. Netanyahu\u2019s Likud party, denounced Mr. Sharvit as someone who had \u201cundermined\u201d the prime minister. \u201cI would not have nominated him to this important post,\u201d she said in a video posted on social media. \u201cSir, think it over again.\u201d <\/p>\n It then emerged that Mr. Sharvit had written an opinion column in January criticizing Mr. Trump\u2019s policies rolling back<\/a> efforts aimed at limiting pollution and strengthening the fossil fuel industry. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n