(TJV NEWS) Tzik Bonzel, the father of Sgt. Amit Bonzel who was killed in Gaza, spoke candidly in an interview with 103FM about a recent meeting with Ronen Bar, the director of Israel’s internal security agency (ISA), following a Supreme Court hearing. Bonzel has been a vocal critic of Bar’s leadership, previously calling for his resignation over the security failures of October 7.

“I was at a meeting last week that the head of the ISA initiated,” Bonzel shared. “He invited us to his office for a conversation that lasted more than two hours. It wasn’t easy—it was extremely difficult, both for us and for him.”

Bonzel made the commets on an Isreali radio staion during an interview

Bonzel did not mince words when describing his disappointment and anger toward the ISA chief. He believes Bar bears significant responsibility for the security lapses that led to the October 7 Hamas attack, during which his son Amit and many other Israelis lost their lives.

“We’re talking about someone who, had he fulfilled his responsibilities on the night of October 6, my son would be alive today—along with hundreds, maybe even thousands, of other Israelis who were harmed,” Bonzel said. “From the beginning, we came to that meeting to demand he be held accountable. It was never going to be a polite conversation.”

Bonzel said that Bar seemed unprepared for the tone and content of the meeting. “He did not expect a conversation like that,” he said. “The meeting’s purpose, from his side, seemed to be to quiet the noise, to defuse the criticism. But I’ve been very active in matters related to the hostages and the demand for inquiry committees. I told him up front—I’m not here to discuss October 7 with you. That’s for an inquiry committee. They will ask the hard questions.”

Bonzel then revealed the central point of his demand. “I told him, ‘I want to know when you will resign as head of the ISA and stop damaging this holy organization.’ He was shocked. He told me it was a matter of weeks—maybe two months. I replied, ‘Give me a date. I’ll go to Netanyahu with it, and we’ll coordinate the timing so you can step down and stop this country from spiraling further into chaos.’”

For Bonzel, the stakes are bigger than politics. “These are words of truth,” he insisted. “To harm an institution like the ISA is to put Israeli lives at risk. This is a covert organization. It should not be exposed to public pressure or controversy because of its leadership. The organization must be allowed to do its work without internal doubt or public distrust.”

He sharply criticized those he sees as politicizing the issue. “The people opposing Bar’s dismissal aren’t trying to uncover the truth about October 7. They just want to protect the current government. I’m not interested in that. What matters to me is that my son Amit’s chair will be empty this Passover Seder.”

Fighting back emotion, Bonzel concluded with a message about accountability and responsibility for future generations. “I know I can’t bring Amit back. But I am committed to doing everything I can so that, 50 years from now, we’re not remembering another disaster like this one.”