Finance Minister Smotrich explains to Arutz Sheva why he is boycotting any meetings with Ronen Bar.
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 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.”
“Ron Bar has degraded the ISA and caused it immense damage and to public trust, 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 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 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 canceled.
