After PM Netanyahu appoints active-duty IDF general as Shin Bet chief, IDF chief of staff dismisses him

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the appointment of active duty IDF Maj.-Gen. David Zini as the next Shin Bet chief, defying the instructions of Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara not to make a new appointment until the legal implications of a recent court ruling were clarified.

On Wednesday, the High Court of Justice ruled that Netanyahu had acted “improperly” in dismissing Shin Bet Chief Ronen Bar, citing an ongoing Shin Bet investigation into Netanyahu’s close aides in connection with the “Qatargate” affair.

Following the ruling, Baharav-Miara instructed Netanyahu not to appoint a replacement until her office could assess the legal consequences. In Israel, the attorney general holds the dual role of advising the government and investigating official misconduct – a rare arrangement among Western democracies, where these functions are typically handled by separate offices.

In response, Netanyahu called the court’s ruling “disgraceful” and said that he would appoint a new chief for the security agency. 

In announcing Maj.-Gen. Zini’s appointment, Netanyahu highlighted his extensive military experience and referenced a report that Zini submitted roughly six months before the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks, in which he warned of several vulnerabilities along the Gaza border.

“Maj.-Gen. Zini has served in many IDF operational positions and commands, including: A fighter in the General Staff Reconnaissance Unit, commander of the IDF Golani Brigade Battalion 51, Commander of the Egoz Unit, Commander of the Alexandroni Brigade, founder of the Commando Brigade, and Commander of the Training Command and the General Staff Corps,” the statement read. 

“In March 2023, Maj.-Gen. Zini prepared a report for the Head of the Gaza Division on evaluating the deployment of the division in a complex surprise event, with emphasis on surprise raids and marking weak points,” the statement continued. “In the report's conclusions, Maj.-Gen. Zini wrote that in almost the entire sector it would be possible to carry out surprise raids against our forces.” 

After Netanyahu’s announcement on Thursday evening, the attorney general said that Netanyahu had acted “in contravention of legal instructions.” 

She also said that there exists “heavy concern that he acted while having a conflict of interest, and that the appointments process is flawed.” 

On Friday morning, Netanyahu’s office issued a follow-up statement, noting that Zini’s appointment would be subject to review by the Grunis Committee for senior appointments. If approved, the new Shin Bet chief would have no involvement in the ongoing “Qatargate” investigation, which is being conducted jointly by the Shin Bet and Israel Police under the supervision of the attorney general’s office.

Current Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar had already announced he would step down on June 15. The Prime Minister’s Office stated that “In the midst of the war, it would be incorrect to suffice with the appointment of an Acting Director of the Israeli Security Agency (Shin Bet).” It hopes to have Zini’s appointment approved by the Grunis Committee before then.

However, IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir was reportedly caught off guard by the announcement of Zini’s appointment, which should have first been run through his office because Zini is an active duty command officer under Zamir. 

The two officers met on Friday morning, where Zamir thanked Zini for his service, before announcing his dismissal from the IDF. 

“The chief of staff expressed appreciation to Maj.-Gen. Zini for a significant and long combat service,” the IDF said in a statement. “The chief of staff clarifies that any dialogue between IDF service members and the political echelon must be with the approval of the chief of staff!” 

Shortly after, the military released an updated statement saying that Zini would be retiring from the military – an apparent attempt to walk back some of the harshness in the first announcement. 

“In a conversation this morning between the chief of staff and the general, it was agreed that he would retire from the IDF in light of his appointment as head of the Shin Bet,” the updated statement read. “Maj. Gen. Zini is a respected officer with many merits.” 

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Netanyahu visited the Tze'elim training base in southern Israel, where he met with Zini during a meeting with reserve soldiers preparing for the new offensive, Operation Gideon’s Chariots. 

According to a report in Haaretz, Netanyahu called Zini to meet him in his vehicle, where the two Israeli leades spoke for over an hour. 

However, according to a report in Channel 12 News, Zini denied that Netanyahu had interviewed him for the position, saying, “The prime minister spoke to me during the tour at Tze'elim.”