Criticism of Netanyahu's election: David Zini will be the new head of the Israeli secret service after all

Israel's Prime Minister dismisses Ronen Bar and appoints David Zini as the new head of the intelligence service. The Supreme Court declares the move unlawful. However, a committee upholds Netanyahu's position, even though the former Shin Bet head had made serious allegations after his dismissal.

In Israel, a committee has given the green light to the nomination of Major General David Zini as the new head of the domestic intelligence agency Shin Bet. The commission, tasked with vetting top positions, has confirmed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's nominee, Netanyahu's office said on Thursday. Zini is expected to succeed Ronen Bar, according to Netanyahu's wishes.

Netanyahu dismissed Bar at the end of March and nominated Zini as the new Shin Bet chief in May. The Israeli prime minister justified the move with a lack of trust in Bar and the Shin Bet's failure during the Islamist Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

However, the country's Supreme Court ruled Bar's dismissal unlawful. Israeli Attorney General Gali Baharav Miara subsequently declared Zini's nomination "illegal."

However, the committee found no "ethical concerns that would prevent the prime minister from appointing a director for the Shin Bet," according to the panel's decision published by Netanyahu's office.

Former intelligence chief allegedly spied on demonstrators

At the time, Bar described his dismissal as politically motivated. Under oath, he accused Netanyahu of demanding personal loyalty from him and, among other things, of urging him to spy on anti-government protesters. He finally resigned in June.

Bar's dismissal sparked massive protests in Israel. Israeli media linked the move to the affair known as "Qatargate," as well as to an intelligence agency investigative report dated October 7, 2023. In the report, the intelligence agency cited both its own failures and government errors. In the "Qatargate" scandal, the Shin Bet is investigating alleged bribes from Qatar to several Netanyahu confidants.