Shin Bet Chief Zini Files New Court Contempt Request Over Anonymous Petitioners

Shin Bet Chief David Zini submitted another request to the Supreme Court on Tuesday, demanding a ruling against petitioners who have refused to fully disclose their identities as ordered by the court. The petitioners, comprising 186 former employees and managers of the organization, provided only initials instead of full names, violating a June 30 court directive to submit a complete list. Zini's lawyers contacted the petitioners' attorneys, Eitan Peleg and Nir Kahat, requesting the full names without delay, but they refused and suggested Zini personally call their lawyer, a move Zini viewed as contemptuous. Peleg responded that the issue was "ridiculous" and that the court's decision had resolved the matter.

This legal dispute unfolds amid internal tensions within Shin Bet following Zini's recent appointment in September 2025 and his subsequent directives. The petitioners' refusal contradicts a December 2025 Supreme Court ruling by Deputy President Noam Solberg, who stated that anonymous petitions with serious accusations are unacceptable and that no legal basis exists for petitioners to conceal their identities from a security-cleared respondent.

The background includes a petition by the Movement for Quality Government demanding the cancellation of Zini's appointment and a temporary injunction to block his assumption of office. The Supreme Court rejected the injunction in November and ultimately dismissed the petitions in December 2025, with a majority ruling by Solberg and Justice David Mintz, while President Isaac Amit dissented, favoring a conditional injunction.

Zini's latest contempt request seeks enforcement of the court's transparency order and highlights ongoing resistance from the petitioners, emphasizing the legal obligation of petitioners to identify themselves fully in such proceedings.