In recordings, Shin Bet chief says he’s loyal to ‘elected leadership,’ but has his own ‘agenda’

Shin Bet chief David Zini says in newly revealed recordings that he is loyal to the “elected leadership,” slams Israel’s legal system and says he brings his own agenda to the position.

The recordings, published tonight by the i24 news site, were purportedly made of Zini — who entered the role in October 2025 — speaking at an event earlier today.

In the recordings, Zini says he agreed to take on the role because “of my ability to be loyal to the elected leadership.”

However, he adds, “I have an internal drive, I have a worldview; I’m not a marionette moved by the wind. I have an agenda, I want to advance it — that is my responsibility.”

Zini also speaks disparagingly about lawyers and the legal system in Israel, saying that jurists are at times “monsters that harm human rights, individual rights, growth, the economy, prosperity, national security — in every direction you can think of.” He accuses attorneys of “harming and trampling people in the name of all sorts of procedures and regulations.”

Zini’s appointment to the role of Shin Bet head was shrouded in controversy, and petitioners turned to the High Court seeking to disqualify him for the role, arguing that he was unfit for the job.

A group of former Shin Bet chiefs called on the court to intervene in the appointment, claiming Zini lacked relevant experience and that he was “messianic” in his religious and political beliefs. However, the High Court ultimately dismissed the petitions, upholding his appointment.