High Court declines to intervene, enabling David Zini to become Shin Bet chief on Sunday

The High Court of Justice said Friday that it won’t freeze the entry into office of new Shin Bet chief David Zini, approved earlier this week, while it considers petitions against his appointment, thus removing the last barrier to Zini’s taking over the security agency this coming Sunday.

Judge Chaled Kabub noted pointedly that the Senior Appointments Advisory Committee, headed by former Supreme Court President Asher Grunis, found no ethical problems with Zini’s appointment, as the petitioners claimed, and that the Attorney General’s Office found no legal obstacle.

The petitioners, including government watchdog groups, argued that Zini’s appointment was flawed due to a conflict of interest owing to the Qatargate and Bild investigations into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s close aides, as well as concerns over Zini’s conduct.

Kabub did, however, agree to hear the petitions, and set a court hearing for the petitions to be held before the end of November.

Zini was first nominated by Netanyahu as head of the agency in May, following the controversial ouster of former chief Ronen Bar.

Bar had been dismissed by cabinet vote on March 21 based on Netanyahu’s assertion that he had lost confidence in the Shin Bet chief’s ability to do the job in the wake of the October 7, 2023, Hamas onslaught.

Government watchdog groups petitioned the High Court against the Bar’s firing, alleging that he had been dismissed due to his defiance of the prime minister on several key issues, and not for professional considerations.

They also charged that Netanyahu had a conflict of interest in the replacement process because the Shin Bet was investigating the prime minister’s close aides in the Qatargate affair as well as instances of document leaks.

The court froze Bar’s removal as it reviewed the matter. The next day, however, Netanyahu announced he would seek to have Zini installed as the next chief of the domestic security agency.

Bar resigned in June amid the controversy, and was replaced in an interim capacity by his former deputy, known only as “Shin.”

Last week, the Senior Appointments Advisory Committee approved Zini’s candidacy, despite strident protests from a string of former heads of the Shin Bet who claimed Zini, who has self-described his views as “messianic,” may harm democratic values if appointed. On Tuesday, a full government cabinet meeting unanimously approved the appointment.