Bezalel Zini, the brother of Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) chief David Zini, has been named as the suspect in a security case involving the smuggling of goods into Gaza, Judge Yaniv Ben Harush of the Ashkelon Magistrate’s Court permitted for publication on Tuesday.
The decision came after Israel Police said earlier that it had concluded its investigation against Zini and two other suspects and was preparing to issue a prosecutor’s statement, the step before an official indictment. Zini specifically is suspected of smuggling cigarettes into the enclave.
Ben Harush noted in his decision that the argument that revealing Zini’s identity would obstruct the investigation no longer stands, as it is nearing its conclusion, and that “the scale tips in favor of the principle of open justice.” Following the announcement, Zini’s father, Rabbi Yosef Zini, said that the authorities’ true target was not Bezalel but rather the Shin Bet head himself.
“Everything is done without fear of anything,” Zini told Ynet. “They don’t want to bring him down but his brother. God willing, most of the public understands this well.”
Courts lift publication ban on smuggling case
Last week, Ben Harush confirmed the existence of such an investigation, which was just rumored beforehand. His decision revealed that Israeli authorities are probing a multi-suspect security case involving the alleged smuggling of goods from inside Israel into Gaza.
Ben Harush’s decision acceded to requests by journalists and media organizations to scale back a blanket publication ban initially imposed on December 20.
According to Israel Police and the Shin Bet, the probe concerns dozens of items allegedly transferred clandestinely for financial gain.
One of the suspects was announced last week as a relative of Zini, though law enforcement and the court stressed that there is no indication that the Shin Bet head himself is implicated in the alleged wrongdoing.