Prime Minister Netanyahu announced that ‘after further thought,’ he decided to withdraw the appointment of Vice Admiral (Res.) Eli Sharvit as ISA Director.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Tuesday that “after further thought,” he has decided to withdraw the appointment of Vice Admiral (Res.) Eli Sharvit as director of the Israel Security Agency (ISA-Shin Bet).
“Prime Minister Netanyahu met for a second time last night with VADM Sharvit regarding his appointment as the director of the ISA,” the Prime Minister’s Office wrote in a statement.
The office added: “The Prime Minister thanked VADM Sharvit for his willingness to be called on, but notified him that after further thought, he intends to consider other candidates.”
Following the decision, Sharvit stated: “I was asked by the Prime Minister to take on the job of agency director and to continue serving the State of Israel during this difficult time – and that’s what I did. This is with full trust in the ISA’s ability to stand up to the challenges it faces today and a humble belief in my ability to lead it in this.
“Serving the good of the nation, its security, and the security of its citizens will always be above all,” Sharvit added. Netanyahu’s announcement on Monday that he intended to appoint Sharvit as ISA Director was met with strong opposition from many in his own camp.
Sharvit, who completed his role as Navy Commander in 2021, has expressed his personal opinions on volatile issues after his discharge and even participated in the Kaplan protests against the judicial reform.
The opposition reached its peak when US Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), a close ally of the Prime Minister, called on Netanyahu not to appoint Sharvit, who, several months earlier, penned an opinion column attacking President Donald Trump and his environmental policies.
