Former Security Chief Erez Wiener Praises Shin Bet Head Zini for Correcting Pre-October 7 Intelligence Failures

Erez Wiener, retired Brigadier General and chairman of the Security Movement, commended current Shin Bet chief David Zini for addressing what he called the "cognitive distortion" that characterized former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar's conduct before the October 7 attacks. Wiener praised Zini's remarks at the Argaman Institute conference, highlighting a shift in the relationship between the professional security echelon and the political leadership.

Wiener criticized Ronen Bar for withholding intelligence from the political echelon on the night of October 6-7, 2023, due to mistrust, and for making policy decisions independently to avoid escalation. In contrast, Wiener said Zini’s commitment to fully support the elected political leadership, regardless of the government in power, represents a significant change and a corrective to past misunderstandings about the boundaries between security and politics.

Wiener emphasized that senior civil servants must assist the political leadership in implementing lawful decisions, calling this proper governance and in the state's best interest. Zini himself explained at the conference that his main motivation for accepting the Shin Bet leadership was his sense of responsibility to the elected officials. He stated he is committed to being loyal to the political leadership's policies, even if he personally disagrees, and warned against delays in implementing ministerial directives, which he said sometimes take months due to confusion over roles.

Zini acknowledged having his own agenda and worldview but stressed the importance of humility and following the direction set by elected officials. Wiener sees this approach as a necessary correction following the failures leading up to the October 7 attacks and a step toward better civil-military coordination in Israel’s security apparatus.