Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has withdrawn his nomination of former Navy commander Eli Sharvit to head the Shin Bet domestic intelligence agency, only a day after announcing the decision. The swift reversal on Tuesday follows a wave of criticism from U.S. lawmakers and internal backlash over Sharvit's previous comments regarding former President Trump and his participation in protests against Netanyahu's judicial reforms. This nomination had been made despite a Supreme Court order temporarily blocking the dismissal of the current Shin Bet chief, Ronen Bar, amid allegations of a politically motivated ousting New York Times. Netanyahu's decision to propose Sharvit was seen as part of his broader effort to consolidate control over the nation's key security apparatus, following a tumultuous period since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks, which he has blamed on failures within Shin Bet Reuters. However, the backlash against the nomination highlighted divisions within Netanyahu's own coalition. Key coalition members expressed discomfort over Sharvit's prior public stances against Netanyahu's government, leading to heightened tensions within the ruling party Al Jazeera. Critics have raised concerns that Netanyahu is attempting to purge dissenting voices from critical security roles. The previous head of Shin Bet, Ronen Bar, has been implicated in ongoing investigations regarding financial ties of Netanyahu's aides with foreign entities, an issue that has incited significant public outcry and mass protests Al Jazeera. As the Supreme Court is set to address petitions against Bar's dismissal, the political landscape remains fraught, with commentators warning of a potential constitutional crisis New York Times.