ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF, YONAH JEREMY BOB

JULY 8, 2026 10:34

Updated: JULY 8, 2026 11:41

Shin Bet Director David Zini ignited major debate late Tuesday night after I24 News aired selected clips from his talk at his Yeshiva alma mater, where he stressed loyalty to the executive branch while critiquing the legal system.

Although Zini sought to back following directives from elected officials and to question aspects of the legal framework, full recordings obtained by The Jerusalem Post reveal a more moderate and layered set of messages.

Discussing his appointment by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu upon taking office as Shin Bet chief in October 2025, Zini noted that critics would have urged him to decline. He instead accepted but told the prime minister there might be stronger internal candidates who should also be considered.

He added that his decision rested on a potential edge in staying loyal to the elected leadership regardless of its specific ideology, noting it could apply to leaders beyond Netanyahu.

Zini observed that elected officials often lack real power over their domains because unelected experts in ministries and defense roles have misunderstood their positions.

He expressed frustration that even after ministers issue orders approved by relevant parties, implementation can drag on for eight months.

Zini called this a key issue to resolve, warning of risks when officials enter roles with fixed agendas and worldviews, noting that slogans about democracy do not always translate easily into daily practice.

He described how senior bureaucrats often assume control of a metaphorical train as conductors yet forget they must still follow directions from elected leaders on its path and purpose.

While the remarks show clear support for Netanyahu and concern that prior Shin Bet heads and officials placed personal views above elected authority, Zini also indicated readiness to serve under a different prime minister if elected.

On the legal system, Zini said that with respect for lawyers and jurists, they serve mainly as support for specific matters, clarifying he was not addressing the Justice Ministry but other areas.

The audience then cheered, prompting Zini to caution against extremes, stating a nation without law or legal structures would collapse, which quieted the crowd.

He acknowledged criticism of the legal establishment but stressed it was not the speech's focus, instead urging attention to core issues and the value of details and nuance.

Zini positioned himself as viewing the legal system as overly involved in elected policy matters, yet his warning that no legal establishment would ruin the state tempers this compared to sharper coalition critiques.

Golan calls Zini's remarks 'dangerous'

Democrats party leader Yair Golan described Zini's comments as among the most dangerous ever from an Israeli security chief.

Anyone entering the post with a political agenda and pledging service to the government rather than the state endangers national security, Golan wrote on X.

With elections approaching, a security service guided by loyalty to politicians instead of law risks becoming a tool for retaining power rather than protecting democracy, posing threats to election integrity, public trust, and overall stability against internal and external dangers.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, however, commended Zini, calling the stance essential in a democracy.

Ben-Gvir predicted fierce attacks from the left and judicial supporters, urging Zini not to be deterred.

Democrats MK Naama Lazimi accused Zini of loyalty to the leader over the state itself.

She argued that amid pre-election tensions and government resistance to legal norms, such words represent a grave risk to democracy and national security.

A secret agency serving political goals instead of citizens acts as a weapon against the public and endangers election fairness, Lazimi added.

Yesh Atid MK Rami Ben Barak reminded Zini of proper priorities.

The Shin Bet chief answers first to the law and then to the elected government, with no room for personal agendas in any state organization, Ben Barak stated.