From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, July 8, 2026
Ex-Shin Bet chief warns agency’s ‘sole loyalty’ is to State of Israel, after Zini professes allegiance to ‘elected leadership’
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleFormer Shin Bet chief Yoram Cohen speaks out against the current head of the security agency, David Zini, after he declared himself “loyal to the elected leadership” at an event yesterday.
In recordings from the event, Zini said he agreed to take the role because “I felt that I was qualified, maybe even more than others, in my ability to be loyal to the elected leadership, no matter the opinion.”
Cohen calls Zini’s own assessment of the qualifications that landed him the top spot in the Shin Bet “worrying.”
“The sole loyalty of the head of a security body and any public office holder is first and foremost to the State of Israel, its laws and its citizens,” writes Cohen on X.
Democrats party chair Yair Golan similarly calls Zini’s remarks “one of the most dangerous statements ever heard” from the head of a security agency.
“The head of the Shin Bet is supposed to be loyal only to the State of Israel, its security, and the law. Period,” writes Golan on X.
“Anyone who takes office with a political agenda and declares that his job is to serve the government and not the state is a danger to the security of the state,” adds Golan, a former IDF deputy chief of staff.
The Times of Israel Community.