Shin Bet Director David Zini ordered the dismantling of a memorial corner dedicated to some of the agency's October 7 fallen at its headquarters, the agency confirmed Wednesday evening. In a statement, the agency said displaying only part of the fallen diminishes the scale of the disaster and reflects only a portion of the tragedy. The main memorial wall at the headquarters displays all fallen personnel.
Shin Bet Director David Zini ordered the removal of a memorial corner dedicated to some of the 53 agency personnel killed on October 7, 2023, according to agency confirmation on Wednesday evening. The decision, first reported by Haaretz, stems from Zini's view that a partial memorial diminishes the magnitude of the security failure, which he called "one of the biggest and most painful" in Israel's history. The agency's existing main memorial wall at the headquarters lists all fallen service members. Zini's office said the wall is the appropriate venue for commemorating the dead.
The source of the story is a Shin Bet statement confirming the report. Initial reports had mistakenly identified the agency's chief as Ronen Bar, who was Shin Bet director on October 7 and left the post in early 2026. The current director, David Zini, assumed the role in early 2026.
The removal order has drawn attention inside the security establishment. No further details on the timeline for removal have been released.
2 developments
- DevelopingMother of slain Shin Bet operative attacks agency chief over memorial removal
- DevelopingShin Bet chief warns next October 7 could be in Eilat
- StrongSecurity source disputes reports about Shin Bet commander Zini's dismissal proposal, calls it 'targeted campaign'
- StrongFleishman backs Shin Bet chief over Pride event cancellation: 'It is a security agency'
Source and signal
- Internal intake