Gantz urges Zini to turn down nomination as Shin Bet head, to avert ‘unprecedented crisis’

National Unity party chairman Benny Gantz calls on designated Shin Bet chief Maj. Gen. David Zini not to accept the leadership of the domestic security agency, declaring that his appointment constitutes “sabotage of the security establishment” by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“Appointing the head of the Shin Bet, in defiance of a High Court ruling, drags the organization that guards the holy of holies of our security and democracy into the political mud,” Gantz tells reporters ahead of his party’s weekly faction meeting in the Knesset.

“If the Shin Bet sinks into the political mud, we are all in danger. We also need to talk about the [nomination] procedure,” he continues. “The head of the Shin Bet is not appointed in a five-minute conversation in a jeep.”

During a recent visit to the Tzeelim military base on May 8, Netanyahu held a five-minute conversation with Zini in his car and asked the IDF general how he would feel about being appointed Shin Bet chief.

After the premier announced Zini as Shin Bet chief, the major general was ousted from the military on Friday for meeting with the prime minister behind IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir’s back.

“There are three possibilities: Either Netanyahu met with Maj. Gen. Zini behind the backs of the chief of staff and the defense minister — and this is a serious matter — or Netanyahu decided to appoint the head of the Shin Bet without knowing his plans and positions, and this is security recklessness,” Gantz continues.

“Or, the appointment was made in exchange for personal favors, and this is corruption at the expense of state security.”

“From my acquaintance with Maj. Gen. Zini, who is a talented field commander and a moral and courageous officer, I do not believe that he gave the prime minister any personal promise. But the way in which this appointment was made is leading us to an unprecedented government crisis in the State of Israel, and I call on Maj. Gen. Zini to go public and announce that he will not accept the appointment in this way,” Gantz says.

Asked by reporters if the failure to return the remaining 58 hostages means that the government and opposition are not functioning properly, Gantz replies that each opposition party has “its own emphasis and style, and we all have one common goal in the parliamentary context: early elections and the replacement of the Israeli government in order to renew trust between the people and their elected officials.”