Journalist Demands Clarification After Meeting With Shin Bet Chief Over Iran Attack Leak

Journalist Yaakov Bardugo revealed he met with Shin Bet chief David Zini and his assistant to demand an investigation into the leak of the Iran attack timing to Channel 12 news. Bardugo said the leak allowed the channel to prepare its broadcast ahead of the strikes. The meeting came to light after Haaretz reported the Shin Bet investigation started following Bardugo's request.

Speaking on Galei Yisrael radio, Bardugo confirmed the meeting and said he suspected details of it were leaked from within Shin Bet. He questioned who among the three attendees disclosed the information, expressing frustration that the meeting’s existence was made public despite his intention to discuss only the investigation. Bardugo emphasized he is a media professional, not a journalist, and criticized the leak to the press.

Initially, Zini reportedly told ministers that an investigation was legally unfeasible due to the large number of potential suspects. Later, he sought approval from the state attorney to open the probe. Following the revelations, the Movement for Quality Government in Israel sent a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Zini, and State Attorney Gali Baharav-Miara demanding clarifications about the meeting. They requested confirmation of the meeting’s occurrence, date, location, participants, and whether there were additional related discussions.

The Movement argued that despite Shin Bet’s exemption from the Freedom of Information Law, there is a clear public interest in transparency since one participant publicly disclosed the meeting’s details and it did not involve classified information. Journalist Avishai Greenstein also criticized Zini, suggesting his repeated mistakes stem from naivety and misunderstanding, warning that continued missteps could jeopardize his tenure.