Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, contrary to a court ruling, has appointed a new head of the Shin Bet security service, according to many, not particularly competent. This has sparked strong criticism in Israel.
On Thursday, May 22, the head of government appointed General David Zini as the new director of the Shin Bet internal security service (Shabak), contrary to the legal recommendations of the Attorney General and exacerbating the conflict surrounding the dismissal of the previous head of the department, Ronen Bar.
Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir has summoned the new Shin Bet Chief David Zini for a “clarification meeting”. It appears that Netanyahu made the decision without consulting anyone.
David Zini, deeply religious and associated with far-right religious groups, was on the verge of becoming Netanyahu’s military secretary last year. His nomination was rejected at the last minute by Netanyahu himself, who disapproved of his strong religious beliefs.
However, Netanyahu’s wife, Sara, is said to be a staunch supporter of Zini, having previously endorsed him for the role of Chief of Staff, a role that Netanyahu also disapproved of.
According to pro-Israel social media sources: “In essence, Zini’s nomination, like many other decisions, appears to be an appointment made by his wife, and not by the Prime Minister himself. A fact for which Netanyahu has been heavily criticized in Israel.”
General Zini, 51, currently heads the IDF’s Training Directorate and commands the General Staff Corps. Having served in the army for over three decades and gained experience commanding elite IDF units, his appointment as head of the Shin Bet is considered atypical, as he does not come from the intelligence services themselves.
The previous director of the Israeli secret service, Ronen Bar, announced in April that he would step down in mid-June. This came after the prime minister’s attempt to oust him, which led to public outcry and legal complications. Bar oversaw all the releases of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
Numerous complaints have been filed with the Supreme Court, with the authors pointing out violations of the dismissal procedure and a possible conflict of interest. On Wednesday, May 21, the court sided with the plaintiffs. The Shin Bet is also investigating alleged illegal financial ties between Netanyahu’s inner circle and Qatar. The prime minister himself denies all charges.
Following the Supreme Court decision, Israeli Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, who is also facing removal from office by Netanyahu, officially called on the prime minister to refrain from appointing a new Shin Bet chief. “The prime minister acted contrary to the instructions of the law. There are serious doubts that he acted in a situation of conflict of interest and that the appointment process itself is flawed,” the Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement.
Representatives of the legal oversight bodies intend to challenge the appointment in the Supreme Court. Opposition leader Yair Lapid has called on David Zini to resign from his post until the trial is concluded.
The decision to fire Bar immediately after a two-month ceasefire with Hamas has sparked a wave of mass protests across the country. Netanyahu’s opponents believe that the prime minister is seeking to tighten control over key security agencies, including the Shin Bet, as part of a broader effort to strengthen executive power at the expense of the judiciary and other state institutions.
On the evening of Thursday, May 22, mass protests took place in Tel Aviv demanding an end to the war and the release of hostages. Some protesters also began protesting the appointment of Zini as the new head of the Shin Bet.
On January 10, before his appointment to the General Staff, General David Zini, in charge of recruiting Haredim into the Israeli army, was attacked in the city of Bnei Brak, along with his assistant, a major, while they were sitting in one of the city’s restaurants.
Dozens of ultra-Orthodox Jews gathered around them, chanting slogans and throwing bottles. The police arrived on the scene and had to rescue the two from the incident. Three of the ultra-Orthodox attackers were arrested.
Antonio Albanese e Graziella Giangiulio
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