Shin Bet Chief Denies Political Pressure Amid Investigation into Iran Attack Leak

Following reports that journalist close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Yaakov Bardugo, pressured Shin Bet chief David Zini to investigate Channel 12 News over leaking the timing of an attack in Iran, Zini authorized the probe after initially claiming there was no lead. The Shin Bet responded to the Haaretz revelation of the meeting by stating that any suggestion that professional decisions by Zini were influenced by external discussions is baseless. They emphasized that the decision to investigate the leak was made well before the meeting with Bardugo and noted that Zini regularly meets with journalists from various media outlets.

Despite Zini's claim that he decided to open the investigation prior to meeting Bardugo, Ynet published quotes from a recent cabinet discussion where Zini said he could not approach the State Attorney Gali Baharav-Miara to request an investigation before that meeting. It was only this week that Zini formally requested the State Attorney to open the probe.

On Tuesday, at an Argaman Institute conference, Zini explained his motivation for accepting the Shin Bet chief role, stating he felt uniquely qualified to be loyal to the elected leadership regardless of political views. He criticized the elected officials for lacking the ability to manage their responsibilities effectively, citing delays in implementing ministerial directives. Zini acknowledged the challenges of living democratic values daily and described himself as driven by personal convictions rather than political manipulation. He sees his role as advancing his agenda responsibly and persistently while maintaining humility toward elected officials, knowing when to be the "last carriage on the train."