As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces mounting scrutiny in two high-profile investigations, agents of the Shin Bet internal security service are reportedly growing increasingly reluctant to participate—fearful of becoming targets in what has been described as a “poison machine” campaign orchestrated by the Israeli right wing.
According to an in-depth report by Haaretz journalist Gidi Weitz, Shin Bet personnel have expressed concerns over their personal safety and the potential exposure of their identities if called to testify in the ongoing probes. These fears stem from a growing pattern of harassment and incitement against officials and witnesses involved in Netanyahu’s corruption trials.
The two affairs, widely referred to as Qatargate and BibiLeaks, involve allegations that senior Netanyahu aides improperly engaged in public relations efforts for Qatar and leaked classified materials to the media, respectively. The Shin Bet confirmed it was investigating elements of both scandals earlier this year.
Sources told Haaretz that some Shin Bet agents have been summoned to meetings with their superiors, where they were assured of legal protections and promised anonymity. However, confidence in those assurances has been shaken by past incidents—such as when Likud MK Tally Gotliv publicly revealed the identity of the partner of a Shin Bet officer linked to anti-government protests.
Outgoing Shin Bet director Ronen Bar, who is set to step down Sunday amid pressure from Netanyahu, has acknowledged that the level of fear and hesitancy among agents is unprecedented in his three-decade career. In a sworn affidavit to the High Court of Justice, Bar linked the intensified attacks on gatekeepers to his removal, stating: “The incitement campaign surrounding both of these sensitive investigations, directed at me and those entrusted with safeguarding state secrets, underscores the connection between the timing of the probes and my dismissal.”
Netanyahu, who is currently on trial for bribery, fraud, and breach of trust in multiple cases, has consistently portrayed himself as the victim of a politically motivated witch hunt. But the Haaretz report highlights how the environment around these trials has grown increasingly toxic.
The central figure in the corruption case known as Case 1000—dubbed the “lavish gifts affair”—is Hadas Klein, a former aide to billionaires Arnon Milchan and James Packer. Despite having testified nearly three years ago, Klein remains a focal point of Netanyahu’s legal strategy and his supporters’ vitriol. During recent court proceedings, Netanyahu called Klein a liar and accused her of participating in anti-government protests.
On social media, particularly in live audio discussions on X (formerly Twitter), Klein has been subjected to vile personal attacks, including threats and explicit slurs. Some of Netanyahu’s supporters have even proposed publicly releasing her phone number, with one stating, “I support aiming the poison machine at her full volume—right between the eyes and between the legs.”
Law enforcement’s response to such threats has been notably lax. For instance, following an investigative report by “Uvda” alleging that Sara Netanyahu, the prime minister’s wife, harassed Klein, police have yet to question her. Sources in the Justice Ministry reportedly indicated that an indictment is unlikely.
The Haaretz investigation also revealed that despite Netanyahu’s claim that he had retired from political life after his 1999 election defeat, calendars obtained by the newspaper showed a flurry of political meetings with Likud figures and business elites in early 2000. This casts doubt on Netanyahu’s testimony that he was merely a private citizen reconnecting with family and friends during that period.
As Netanyahu’s legal troubles deepen, questions are emerging about the independence of Israel’s judiciary and the safety of those who stand against the country’s most powerful political figure. Critics argue that Netanyahu, unlike his predecessors, has turned his personal legal defense into a national spectacle, rallying supporters to attack prosecutors, witnesses, and even intelligence officials.
By contrast, former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who was convicted in the Holyland affair, criticized prosecutors but stopped short of incitement. Netanyahu, according to observers, has gone further—challenging not just individual cases but the very legitimacy of Israel’s legal institutions.
In the face of this unprecedented pressure, the Shin Bet’s caution may signal a deeper institutional fear—one that could erode the foundation of accountability in Israeli democracy. As Haaretz’s reporting makes clear, even Israel’s most secretive and powerful security agency is not immune to the chilling effects of political warfare.
