Overview
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has named Lt. Gen. David Zini as the new director of Shin Bet, effective June 15, 2025.
- The appointment comes despite the Supreme Court ruling that Netanyahu's earlier attempt to dismiss current Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar was illegal.
- Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara advised that Netanyahu lacks the authority to appoint Bar's successor under the court's decision.
- Ronen Bar had announced his resignation for mid-June, citing personal accountability for security failures during the October 2023 Hamas attack.
- The conflict is rooted in Shin Bet's investigation into alleged Qatar-linked payments to Netanyahu aides, raising concerns about political motives and democratic norms.