National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir issued a statement Tuesday night backing Shin Bet Director David Zini, according to Channel 12. Ben Gvir quoted Zini as saying 'I am subordinate to the elected branch,' and called it a basic democratic principle that has become exceptional 'due to the madness of the Supreme Court and the Attorney General.' The remarks come after earlier reports that Ben Gvir had praised an unnamed senior security official; the N12 report now identifies the official as Zini.
At 23:35 Jerusalem, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir issued a statement praising a senior security official for declaring subordination to the elected branch, without naming the official. Within minutes, Channel 12 identified the official as Shin Bet Director David Zini, and The Zioneer updated its coverage accordingly. Ben Gvir quoted Zini as saying 'I am subordinate to the elected branch,' and called it 'the basic thing in a democratic country' that has become exceptional 'due to the madness of the Supreme Court and the Attorney General.' He also added the biblical phrase 'Fear not, David.'
Ben Gvir's statement came after days of public debate over Zini's leadership. As The Zioneer reported earlier this week, leaked recordings of Zini surfaced in which he criticized human rights as 'nonsense in disguise' and questioned the legal system. Those recordings prompted dozens of LGBTQ, women's, and civil society organizations to call for a review of his conduct. Ben Gvir has been a vocal supporter of Zini and has repeatedly criticized the judiciary and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara.
The identification of Zini as the official reinforces the political alignment between the national security minister and the Shin Bet chief, and underscores the tensions between the government and the judicial system. Ben Gvir's remarks also align with his broader criticism of the judiciary, as The Zioneer reported earlier Tuesday when he said he and his government colleagues would not be deterred by the Supreme Court.
No further details about Zini's original statement or the context in which it was made have been reported beyond the quote attributed to him by Ben Gvir.
4 developments
- StrongZini expands on criticism of elected officials, says law mandates subordination to government
- StrongShin Bet chief Zini: 'The reason I felt more fit was the ability to be loyal to the elected government'
- DevelopingBen Gvir accuses attorney general of using Shin Bet to spy on him, vows to complete judicial reform
- DevelopingLeaked recordings: Shin Bet chief Zini called human rights 'nonsense in disguise'
Source and signal
- Internal intake