Nova Festival Security Chief Sues Former Shin Bet Director Over October 7
Elkana Federman, former security chief of the Nova festival and October 7 survivor, has filed a lawsuit in Jerusalem against former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, alleging gross negligence.
Three years after the October 7 massacre, Elkana Federman, former security chief of the Nova festival, filed a civil lawsuit in the Jerusalem District Court against former ISA (Shin Bet) Director Ronen Bar, accusing him of gross negligence surrounding the attacks.
Federman, who was wounded during the Hamas onslaught while attempting to secure the festival grounds and aid attendees, stated that the legal action aims to achieve justice. Previously, in April 2025, Federman filed a police complaint in Jerusalem, which he claims went uninvestigated. "The state is not investigating him, the police are not summoning him for questioning, and nothing is happening," Federman told Channel 14.
Legal Action and Allegations
In his lawsuit, Federman points to the early morning hours of October 7, when Israeli SIM cards were activated in the Gaza Strip and an elite counter-terrorism team was deployed south. Federman alleges that Bar arrogantly withheld critical warnings from the prime minister and other top officials.
"He is arrogant, and because of his arrogance, thousands of people were killed. My friends were murdered, I myself was wounded, and I have lived with this pain for three years because of him," Federman said.
While the internal Shin Bet probe confirmed that dozens of SIM cards were monitored and a situational assessment was held before dawn, the agency previously concluded that the intelligence available at the time did not indicate the scale or timing of the invasion. Bar, who concluded his tenure in June 2025, has accepted organizational responsibility for failing to provide sufficient warning, but rejected allegations that he intentionally concealed information.
Call to Survivors and Bereaved Families
Federman urged other survivors and bereaved families to take similar legal steps to force answers. He expressed confidence that the court proceedings will compel Bar to testify under oath, regardless of whether the former security chief requests state legal protection.
In addition to the lawsuit, Federman criticized the independent national memorial ceremony organized by October 7 families, questioning its official mandate and expressing support for state-led commemorations.
