Maj.-Gen. (res.) David Zini was appointed as the next chief of the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) in the cabinet meeting on Tuesday evening.
The decision comes amid much controversy since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nominated Zini for the role in May, with claims that there was a conflict of interest for Netanyahu to make the appointment since the Shin Bet has been investigating Qatari influences on figures close to the prime minister as part of the “Qatargate” scandal.
The attorney-general had advised that, due to the suspicions, Netanyahu would not be the one to appoint the next intelligence head. However, the prime minister went ahead with Zini’s appointment anyway, leading to petitions to the High Court of Justice.
Last week, the Senior Appointments Advisory Committee approved going forward with the appointment of Zini. The committee stated that “no integrity issue” prevents Netanyahu from proposing Zini for the role and that “no disqualifying concern was found in his candidacy.”
Zini's term begins on October 5
The new Shin Bet chief’s appointment will be effective from October 5 and last for five years.
The cabinet meeting was scheduled shortly after Netanyahu landed in Israel, returning from his visit to Washington to meet with US President Donald Trump.
At the opening of the cabinet meeting, Netanyahu stated that he believes Zini “is the right man to lead the Shin Bet. [He is] someone who knows the system but is not part of it.”
Netanyahu said he has been “very, very impressed with him over the years,” adding, “I have known him for many years through his various roles in the IDF, including positions in which he worked closely with the Shin Bet.”
“I have seen his determination, his leadership, and his ability to think outside conventional frameworks and to anticipate developments before they happen.
“I have no doubt that he will be very successful, and I am sure everyone supports this. His success is vital to the security of all Israeli citizens,” he stated.
Netanyahu had written in early September that after interviewing several viable candidates, he chose to go with someone outside of the agency, who would theoretically challenge accepted norms, like the ones that led to the intelligence failure surrounding October 7.
The nomination came after former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar announced his resignation from the position in April. Bar’s deputy chief, under the name “S,” took over as the acting director after he stepped down in June.
Zini's career history in the IDF
Zini started his career in the IDF’s General Staff Reconnaissance Unit, nicknamed Sayeret Matkal, in 1992, later served in the Paratroopers Brigade, and was a commander in the Golani Brigade and the Egoz commando unit.
He continued in key posts in the Northern Command, including during the 2006 Second Lebanon War, and commanded the 51st Battalion and the Egoz Unit at different points during the 2008-2009 Gaza conflict.
He also briefly commanded the Golani Brigade during the 2014 Gaza conflict, including during the intense Shejaia battle, after its prior commander was wounded.
Next, he was the operations officer of Central Command from 2014 to 2015 and formed and commanded the Oz Brigade, also known as the Commandos Brigade, from 2015 to 2017.
Since then, his career has been less meteoric, with most of his posts, including as a major general, relating to managing reservists and training, as opposed to the more sought-after large command roles.
Sarah Ben-Nun and Yonah Jeremy Bob contributed to this report.