Shin Bet Director David Zini has requested a meeting with Gadi Eisenkot, the opposition's candidate for prime minister, as part of preparations for a possible change of government in the upcoming elections, according to a report by Moriah Asraf of N13 / Channel 13 News.
Shin Bet Director David Zini has requested a meeting with opposition prime ministerial candidate Gadi Eisenkot, explicitly framing the outreach as part of institutional preparations for a possible change of government following the upcoming elections, according to a report by Moriah Asraf of N13 / Channel 13 News. The request comes after the two men held a meeting earlier Thursday evening, the purpose of which was not disclosed at the time. The new report provides the first stated rationale for the contact.
The story unfolded in two stages on Thursday evening. At 21:11 Jerusalem, Asraf reported that Zini had asked for a meeting, citing election preparations. Shortly thereafter, a follow-up report by Asraf and Doron Kadosh (N13 / Army Radio) confirmed that the meeting had already taken place, though no details were given. The what's-new for this update is the explicit framing of the meeting as part of readiness for a potential transition of power.
The request comes amid a period of heightened political tension and several controversies surrounding the Shin Bet chief. As The Zioneer reported, Zini has faced calls for a criminal investigation over his meeting with commentator Yaakov Bardugo and the leak probe involving Channel 12 journalists (Sun Jul 12). He also reportedly sought to remove the head of the Investigations Department over treatment of Jewish terror suspects (Mon Jul 6). Separately, President Isaac Herzog met with Zini and the election committee head to discuss security (Thu Jul 9). The meeting with Eisenkot, a former IDF chief of staff, is the first known direct contact between the Shin Bet chief and the opposition's candidate for prime minister.
The purpose of the meeting itself remains undisclosed, and it is unclear whether the Shin Bet's outreach to Eisenkot reflects a formal pre-election protocol or a personal initiative by Zini. The political weight of the meeting is amplified by the charged atmosphere of the campaign.
3 developments
- StrongShin Bet chief Zini meets opposition leader Lapid for first time since taking office
- DevelopingMovement for Quality of Government demands criminal probe of Shin Bet chief Zini over Bardugo meeting, leak affair
- DevelopingDozens of LGBTQ, women's, and civil society groups urge Netanyahu to probe Shin Bet chief Zini
- DevelopingHaaretz: Shin Bet chief Zini seeks to remove investigations head over 'harsh treatment' of Jewish terror suspects
Source and signal
- Internal intake