Shin Bet chief asks court to reject petition against his appointment

New Shin Bet chief David Zini has asked the High Court of Justice to reject a petition against his appointment filed by three former heads of the intelligence agency. Zini accuses them of seeking to “police opinions” and undermining Israel’s democracy.

Former Shin Bet chiefs Nadav Argaman, Karmi Gilon and Ami Ayalon, along with several NGOS, petitioned the High Court in October against Zini’s appointment, claiming he lacked relevant experience and that he was “messianic” in his religious and political beliefs.

In response to the petitions, Zini writes that the petitioners sought to to “wrap up” their accusations “in so-called democratic righteousness,” but insisted that “anyone reading the petitions can easily see that the attempt to police opinions as sought in the petitions is what undermines the democratic and Jewish values ​​of the State of Israel.”

Zini says the accusation that he is “messianic” is “the same derogatory term stuck to anyone who dares to be proud of their Judaism, and to anyone whose starting point is subordination to… that same Judaism.”

A hearing on the petition is scheduled for next week. The court rejected requests by the petitioners for an interim order to freeze his appointment, which enabled Zini to take office in October.