Israel's Supreme Court Orders Ex-Shin Bet Agents to Reveal Identities in Lawsuit

Israel's Supreme Court has again ruled that former Shin Bet agents who anonymously petitioned against the appointment of David Zini as the head of the agency must reveal their names within a week. The court, however, has not yet decided whether these former agents are in contempt of court for failing to comply with a previous order to disclose their identities.

During a hearing last month, Supreme Court President Justice Yitzhak Amit suggested Zini consider waiving his right to know the petitioners' names, stating it might not be beneficial for him. The hearing was convened due to a contempt of court petition filed after the former Shin Bet employees refused to comply with the court's earlier decision to reveal their identities.

Approximately 180 former Shin Bet employees had initially petitioned against Zini's appointment, but their petition was dismissed, and Zini was appointed to the position. Following this, the Shin Bet chief requested the Supreme Court unseal the names of the anonymous petitioners. The court granted this request, affirming Zini's right to access the list.

Despite the court's ruling, the former agents refused to provide their names, leading Zini's legal representative to file the contempt petition. The petitioners' lawyer argued that since no explicit order was issued to reveal the names, their non-compliance did not constitute contempt. However, Zini's counsel countered that the court's decision was clear and urged the judges to issue an unambiguous directive.

During the proceedings, Justice Amit reiterated his suggestion to Zini's representative that, while the law generally mandates disclosure in such cases, it would be preferable for the Shin Bet chief to forgo this right. Zini's lawyer, however, maintained his client's right to the disclosure and adherence to the court's ruling.