National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has sharply criticized former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar following revelations from a new book by military analyst Nir Dvori. Bar claimed that Ben Gvir's visits to the Temple Mount, along with those of Jewish worshippers, increased tensions and contributed to the circumstances leading to the October 7 assault on Israel by Hamas. According to Bar, Hamas used these visits as a pretext for escalation, viewing itself as the defender of Islamic holy sites. Bar argued that Ben Gvir's actions played a more significant role in the lead-up to October 7 than other security failures.