i24NEWS reporter Avishai Grinzaig reveals that Defense Minister Israel Katz has signed a document to continue the criminal investigation into Betzalel Zini regarding the smuggling of goods into Gaza, ending a prolonged delay.
In a new report Thursday evening, i24NEWS reporter Avishai Grinzaig revealed that Defense Minister Israel Katz signed a document to continue the criminal investigation into Betzalel Zini in the Gaza smuggling case, ending a prolonged delay. The document, specifics of which remain undisclosed, follows earlier reports that Katz had signed a Shin Bet confidentiality certificate to allow the case to proceed.
The Zioneer reported at 14:14 Jerusalem on Thursday that Katz had signed the Shin Bet certificate for Zini, the brother of Shin Bet chief David Zini, after a two-month delay in the criminal probe. Additional reporting from N13/Army Radio, cited by The Zioneer, indicated the delay had extended to three months and that Katz had similarly held up a confidentiality certificate in a separate case against MK Tali Gotliv, delaying her indictment for months. The certificate covers security personnel accused in the case, which involves allegations of smuggling goods into Gaza.
As The Zioneer previously reported, the investigation had been stalled due to procedural delays related to the requirement for a Shin Bet confidentiality certificate. The case has drawn scrutiny due to Zini's familial connection to the Shin Bet chief, though the nature of the allegations remains limited to smuggling goods into Gaza.
Further details of the specific document signed by Katz have not been disclosed, and it remains unclear whether the investigation will proceed to formal charges or whether additional suspects are involved.
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