Who is Eli Sharvit, appointed by Netanyahu to head Shin Bet?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday appointed former Israeli Navy Adm. Eli Sharvit to lead the Shin Bet, defying a Supreme Court freeze on the dismissal of current director Ronen Bar.

The two men have significantly different backgrounds. Bar, a former special forces operative, has spent his career in state security, while Sharvit led the Israeli navy before moving to the private sector. He has no experience in intelligence or direct involvement in operations related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, according to Indian media outlet Wion.

Netanyahu’s announcement drew criticism from the opposition, especially since the High Court has yet to rule on petitions against Bar’s dismissal.

National Unity Party leader Benny Gantz praised Sharvit personally and professionally but said, “It is clear that the prime minister has decided to continue his campaign against the judicial system and drag Israel into a dangerous constitutional crisis.”

Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Lieberman questioned Sharvit’s qualifications, telling Israeli public radio Kan Bet that he has “no experience in intelligence, no training, no relevant knowledge.”

Opposition leader Yair Lapid called the selection process “rushed” and “irresponsible” in a post on X.

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Naval career and covert operations

Sharvit, 58, was born in Sde Boker, in the Negev Desert, about 50 kilometers south of Beersheba. His parents are originally from Morocco, and he is the youngest of three siblings, according to his Hebrew Wikipedia page.

He joined the Israeli navy in 1985 and became an officer. In the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, he commanded a corvette division. In November 2011, he was appointed commander of the Haifa naval base, serving until August 2014.

After two years as the navy’s chief of staff, during which he oversaw tests of the Barak 8 surface-to-air interceptor missile developed by Israel and India, he was promoted to vice admiral in September 2016 and took command of the navy, succeeding Ram Rothberg. He was replaced in 2021 by David Salama.

In an article on Monday, the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth described Sharvit’s leadership as “almost revolutionary,” saying he emphasized covert naval operations as a defense strategy.

After leaving the navy, Sharvit joined the management of Tadiran Group, which specializes in energy solutions, particularly photovoltaics. He later moved to DSIT Solutions, a subsidiary of Rafael, Israel’s state-owned weapons and defense technology company.

In March 2025, Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir selected him for an external commission of former senior military officers to evaluate army investigations into Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack and oversee the implementation of recommendations.