Shin Bet chief David Zini has halted the agency’s annual Pride Month event, ordered already sent invitations canceled, removed planned Pride symbols and effectively shut down the organization’s LGBT unit, according to a report published Tuesday evening, June 23, 2026. The decision, made without a clear explanation, has sparked major internal unrest among Shin Bet employees.
Every year, the Shin Bet holds a lecture or event during Pride Month for interested staff. This year, organizers were already in an advanced stage of preparations when they were suddenly told the activity was off. People familiar with the matter told N12 that the explanation given was that “an order came from above,” meaning Zini personally rejected approval for the event and did not provide a reason.
The reported directive included a series of blanket rejections: a request for a banner on the Shin Bet building screens, a Pride screensaver, Pride flags in the event hall, dedicated stickers, and use of the organization’s systems to distribute special content. Zini also instructed the head of human resources to move all money earmarked for LGBT matters into the agency’s general budget, leaving the Shin Bet Pride budget at zero shekels.
The move has drawn sharp criticism from employees and LGBTQ rights activists, who say it marks a severe rollback from the equality and inclusion efforts the Shin Bet had advanced in recent years. The report also notes that similar LGBT units exist in the Mossad and in most political parties, while the Shin Bet, under Zini, has now decided such activity no longer fits the organization. The agency declined to comment officially.
