Coalition pushback and U.S. objections derailed the appointment of Eli Sharvit as the director of the Israel Security Agency.

By Joshua Marks, JNS

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reversed his decision to appoint Vice Adm. (res.) Eli Sharvit as the new director of the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet), less than 24 hours after announcing the nomination.

Netanyahu thanked Sharvit for his readiness to take on the role but stated he would be considering additional candidates before making a final decision, according to a Tuesday morning statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.

The nomination of Sharvit, who previously served as commander of the Israeli Navy, prompted pushback from members of Netanyahu’s political bloc. Critics pointed to Sharvit’s alleged involvement in demonstrations against the government’s 2023 judicial reform initiatives and public remarks criticizing climate policies endorsed by U.S. President Donald Trump during his first term.

U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham expressed strong disapproval of Sharvit’s potential leadership, labeling the appointment as highly concerning due to Sharvit’s past statements regarding Trump.

This leadership shake-up comes amid Netanyahu’s attempt to replace the current Shin Bet chief, Ronen Bar, whose dismissal was temporarily blocked by an injunction issued by Israel’s Supreme Court.