Shin Bet Chief Clashes With Attorney General Over Probing Arab Politicians
Translated & summarized from i24NEWS Arabic by baba
The head of the Shin Bet, David Zini, clashed with Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara over his requests to investigate four prominent Arab politicians without sufficient evidence. Zini's requests for MKs Ahmed Tibi, Mansour Abbas, and Sami Abu Shehadeh were verbal and lacked basis, leading to their rejection. MK Ayman Odeh, also a target, called the actions political persecution. The dispute occurred as election results were finalized amid claims of foreign funding influencing Arab voter turnout.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Shin Bet chief David Zini argued with Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara over probing Arab politicians without evidence.
- Zini requested investigations into MKs Ayman Odeh, Ahmed Tibi, Mansour Abbas, and Sami Abu Shehadeh.
- The Attorney General rejected Zini's verbal requests for Tibi, Abbas, and Abu Shehadeh due to lack of reasonable suspicion.
- MK Ayman Odeh denounced the actions as political persecution driven by fear of losing power.
- The dispute arose amid finalized election results and claims of foreign funding influencing Arab voter turnout.
A heated verbal confrontation, including shouting, has erupted between the Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and the head of the Shin Bet, David Zini, over Zini's request to investigate four prominent Arab politicians without sufficient evidence. The exchange was revealed by i24NEWS legal affairs analyst Avishai Grintzayg.
Grintzayg reported that Zini had requested to investigate MK Ayman Odeh, MK Ahmed Tibi, MK Mansour Abbas, and MK Sami Abu Shehadeh. While a written opinion with justifications for investigating Odeh under caution was presented, Zini's requests for Tibi, Abbas, and Abu Shehadeh were reportedly verbal and lacked evidentiary basis, leading the Attorney General to reject them.
Odeh responded to the revelations, stating, "The historic voting rate of Arab citizens has made Netanyahu and the fascists lose their minds, and the fear of losing power is pushing them to shoot in all directions. It is clear to everyone that this is a political persecution that will quickly turn into a puffed-up balloon that bursts in their faces."
During the argument, Zini insisted on investigating the Knesset members, while Baharav-Miara stated, "Without reasonable suspicion, I will not allow anyone to be interrogated under caution, especially a member of Knesset." Zini countered that he had received approval for less substantial suspicions in the past, but the Attorney General maintained that "reasonable suspicion must be available." Zini then suggested, "Let them investigate, and then there will be reasonable suspicion."
The discussion also involved the Head of Investigations Division in the Police, Major General Boaz Balt. When Zini raised concerns about threats to Israeli democracy and national security, Balt stated, "If the Shin Bet acts incorrectly, it will be the one harming democracy." Zini questioned the police's involvement in a security investigation, to which Baharav-Miara responded that "electoral bribery with fuel cards is not a security investigation."
These developments coincide with the Central Elections Committee's approval of election results, following right-wing claims of suspected vote-buying. The Shin Bet had previously informed the committee of indications of "widespread phenomena of massive funds flowing into Israel from foreign countries."
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