Shin Bet Director Nadav Argaman’s five-year term was extended over the weekend by a few months after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s expected new pick for the role was blocked by a combination of factors.
Argaman was due to conclude his term in May. The Jerusalem Post and other media outlets have reported extensively about a tight three-way race to succeed him.
The three main candidates have been: the current deputy Shin Bet director, known as “R”; the most recent former deputy Shin Bet director, also known as “R”; and Netanyahu’s preference, Meir Ben-Shabbat, a former senior Shin Bet official and current National Security Council adviser.
Though Netanyahu prefers Ben-Shabbat, who has emerged as one of his closest advisers in recent years, the ongoing political deadlock and transitional government have potentially blocked this appointment from multiple directions.
First, Alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz has veto power over such top appointments.
Though Gantz played ball with Netanyahu’s desire to appoint “D” as the next Mossad director in June (that appointment is held up for different reasons), he was never ready to allow Ben-Shabbat’s appointment.
While Ben-Shabbat has both fans and opponents at the highest levels of the Shin Bet, the opponents’ characterization of him as being too political and close to Netanyahu is what torpedoed his candidacy for Gantz, the Post has exclusively reported.
Those who support either of the two “R's” say almost all recent Shin Bet chiefs served as deputy director beforehand.
Those who support Ben-Shabbat say he had the equivalent rank of major-general within the Shin Bet and that his experience as National Security Council adviser gives him perspectives that even deputy chiefs might not have.
Even if Gantz had not blocked Ben-Shabbat from being appointed, Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit likely would have blocked him on the grounds that Netanyahu is currently only a transitional prime minister with weakened powers.
The appointment of “D” as the next Mossad chief was held up by Mandelblit for this reason, even though both Gantz and a vetting committee of apolitical senior officials had approved him.
It is presumed that Netanyahu also extended Argaman’s term to still have a chance to appoint Ben-Shabbat should the prime minister manage to form the next government.
In contrast, Mandelblit and Gantz might have approved the appointment of one of the “R’s,” at least as acting director, before a new government was formed if it was viewed as necessary to protect state security.
IN COMPARING the two “R’s,” some sources said the prior deputy chief “R” has a bigger world view when it comes to technology, collection and analysis of intelligence issues.
Some also point out that previous deputy director “R” was involved in major defense situations during the 2014 Gaza War, which the current deputy chief has not quite had to match and which was more substantial than the 2008-2009 Gaza War, which Ben-Shabbat helped manage.
In addition, some say the prior “R” is more beloved, inspiring more social cohesion among the rank and file than the current “R,” and could be a compromise candidate between Netanyahu and the current Shin Bet leadership.
But the previous “R” may have burned some bridges with an interview that he gave to Channel 12’s Uvda following Operation Protective Edge in 2014. The agency had warned the IDF and Netanyahu that Hamas was ready to fight, but it was ignored, he claimed.
This won him some enemies, including some who hold him responsible for failing to sound the alarm about Hamas loud enough, and may have hurt him with Netanyahu.
Also, some say the current “R” may be more charismatic and more of a standout talent in operations than the prior “R.”
Further, they say the current “R” has filled in some of his inexperience with Shin Bet branches beyond the operations side by serving consecutively in the agency’s No. 2 and No. 3 roles. Both of these roles require wide exposure to all Shin Bet branches.
Still, critics say he lacks Ben-Shabbat’s strategic acumen.
Some believe Argaman will press for the current “R” to succeed him since he was his handpicked deputy, and both of them come from deep experience in operations.
But in the end, the final word on who runs the agency is really in the hands of the prime minister.