Netanyahu Dismisses Chief of Staff
Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed his acting chief of staff, Ziv Agmon, following a wave of indignation over leaked racist remarks. In a late-night post on X, the Israeli Prime Minister announced that Ido Norden would take the post in the coming days. The exit follows reports that Agmon referred to Jews of Moroccan descent as “baboons” and disparaged Mr Netanyahu’s own family. This sudden decapitation of the Premier’s inner circle highlights the chronic instability that currently plagues the Prime Minister’s Office.
The appointment of Mr Norden represents a jarring about-face for the Likud party. Only two hours before the announcement, official party channels claimed the Prime Minister desired “stability and continuity” under the embattled Agmon. Mr Norden, a lawyer and economist, leads a right-wing think-tank dedicated to purging “uniformity of thought” from the public sector. His elevation suggests a pivot toward more ideological loyalists as the government faces mounting domestic and international pressure.
Mr Norden brings his own baggage to the role, having authored a book on the “deep state.” Israeli journalists reported on Monday that the incoming chief of staff allegedly used fake social media accounts to promote his theories. His work attributes the intelligence failures of October 7 to shadowy institutional forces rather than political leadership. Before he can formally take the reins, he must pass a rigorous vetting process by the Shin Bet domestic security service.
This personnel shuffle is merely the latest tremor in a staff defined by scandal. Close ally Tzachi Braverman, the designated ambassador to London, recently faced police questioning over the alleged interference in a war-linked leak investigation. Meanwhile, the “Qatargate” probe continues to shadow the administration. Former aides stand accused of accepting Qatari funds to burnish the Gulf state’s image within Israel during the ongoing conflict.
The Prime Minister’s inner circle is increasingly viewed as a revolving door of controversy. Mr Netanyahu has long struggled to maintain a cohesive team, often preferring loyalists over career bureaucrats. By choosing a “deep state” theorist to lead his office, he appears to be doubling down on a narrative of institutional betrayal. It is a gamble that may please his core base but will likely alienate the security establishment he relies upon.
As the war enters a more complex phase, the lack of a steady hand at the centre of power is conspicuous. The Prime Minister is fighting battles on multiple fronts: the military campaign, legal challenges, and now, a civil war within his own staff. Mr Norden’s primary task will be to impose order on an office that has become synonymous with leaks and infighting. Whether a man who believes in shadowy conspiracies can provide transparent leadership remains an open question.