Netanyahu denies previously calling his nominee for Shin Bet chief ‘too messianic’

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defends his nomination of Maj. Gen. David Zini as the new Shin Bet chief, following reports that he had disapproved of Zini in the past, amid legal conflict with Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara over the promotion process, in a Hebrew-language video shared on his X account.

Netanyahu denies allegations that last year, he refused to appoint Zini as his military secretary due to him being “too messianic,” adding that the senior IDF official had been at “the top of my list” for that position, that he had followed Zini’s career for 18 years, and felt after interviewing him for the role that “this man deserves to rise higher and higher — and now the opportunity has come.”

The premier again cites Zini’s March 2023 report on the IDF Gaza Division’s readiness for a surprise raid as evidence of his suitability for the role. He responds to critics questioning why he didn’t act on the report, saying: “Because it was a classified report. It went from the division commander to the Southern Command. It didn’t reach me — and it’s a shame it didn’t influence others.”

The premier hails current Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, who announced he would resign in June after Netanyahu initiated his removal from the position, for his “excellent” decision to call Zini and give an initial briefing, saying: “That’s essentially the start of a handover, and it’s important. Very good.”

Netanyahu criticizes the legal delays in the appointment process, arguing that “the law is crystal clear: the prime minister brings his candidate [for Shin Bet] to the government.”

“This needs to be quick — get it done and stop looking for excuses about supposed conflicts of interest,” he says, repeating his assertion that “the attorney general herself is caught in numerous conflicts of interest.”

He says the next step should be to bring Zini’s nomination to the Senior Appointments Advisory Committee, headed by retired Supreme Court Justice Asher Grunis.

“I have no doubt he’ll pass it immediately, and we can finally bring in a new Shin Bet chief. That’s what the country needs. That’s what our security needs,” says Netanyahu.