Attorney general says High Court should reject petitions against new Shin Bet chief Zini

In a position paper filed with the High Court, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara calls to reject petitions urging the court to cancel David Zini’s appointment as Shin Bet chief.

Petitioners, including government watchdog groups, argue 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.

“The claims raised in the petitions were examined by the advisory committee,” that examined Zini’s appointment, Baharav-Miara says, “and its conclusions on the matter were detailed in its opinion as submitted to the government. In light of the fact that this is a senior and independent committee, chaired by a retired Supreme Court justice and including the Civil Service Commissioner as a member, and considering the broad discretion granted to it… There is no ground to intervene in its conclusion.”

She adds that according to the court’s own rulings, “only in exceptional and extreme cases will the court deem it appropriate to intervene in the government’s discretion where it exercises its authority.”

“This case does not fall within those exceptional and extreme cases, not even approximately.”