Ronen Bar, the head of the Shin Bet, has defended the agency's investigation into the theft and leaking of classified IDF intelligence material in a letter responding to complaints made by rabbis from the religious Zionist community. Bar accused his critics of peddling conspiracies and seeking to weaken the agency at a time of war. The Shin Bet probe led to indictments on national security charges of an aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and an unnamed IDF reserves officer. Netanyahu has publicly criticized the handling of the case and is reportedly contemplating dismissing Bar and other officials.