In an exclusive letter, a group of 260 former Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) officers expressed grave concerns regarding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s choice to appoint David Zini to the position of the organization’s head. The former officials stated that Zini’s beliefs regarding the judicial system could disrupt the critical balance between the imperatives of Israel’s national security and the state’s foundational democratic values, as underscored in Israel’s Declaration of Independence (1948).
The letter expresses concern that in a potential conflict between a ruling from the High Court of Justice, acting as the highest judicial authority, and instructions emanating from the Prime Minister, Zini might disregard the rule of law. The authors of the letter emphasize that “the head of the Shin Bet is obligated to be loyal to the public and does not have personal loyalty to the appointing minister or to any figure from the political echelon, and, of course, to set an example and be a role model in his conduct in relation to the laws of the country and state institutions.”
The ex-officers also expressed concern over the fact that Zini accepted the appointment despite the advice of Attorney General of Israel Gali Baharav-Miara, who strongly recommended that Netanyahu refrain from appointing a new head of the Shin Bet. Such a step, in the opinion of the letter’s signatories, could undermine the agency’s institutional independence and impartiality, which, in turn, could have serious consequences for the organization’s ability to effectively perform its functions in accordance with the law and in the interests of national security under the current circumstances.