Chief Justice Yitzhak Amit, Deputy President Noam Sohlberg, and Justice David Mintz held a hearing on Tuesday on several left-wing petitions seeking to revoke the appointment of Dovid Zini as head of the Shin Bet.

Deputy President Sohlberg slammed the petition filed by Eliad Shraga on behalf of his left-wing “Movement for Quality Government” against Zini, saying that Shraga’s claim that “the Shin Bet chief lies brazenly” was based largely on media reports.

“What is your claim based on?” Sohlberg asked. “I read your petition—it’s a collection of 20 to 30 media articles. To call someone a liar requires more than newspaper clippings.” Shraga replied, “Fine, you don’t have to be convinced. A general lied to the Chief of Staff.” Sohlberg reiterated, “The entire petition is press articles. There are serious difficulties here. You cannot accuse a general who served 30 years of being a liar based on newspaper clippings.”

Later, the justices heard the petition headed by three former Shin Bet chiefs. At the heart of the petition is a “secret classified document” signed by the three former Shin Bet chiefs that claims that Zini’s appointment is a security risk. When Zini entered his position, he demanded that the document be transferred to him, and when three men refused, a criminal investigation was launched against them.

Zini demanded that the Supreme Court release the so-called “classified” document to him and discovered it was based almost entirely on press clippings from Haaretz and Ynet.

Channel 14 correspondent Moti Kastel reported that Zini was stunned to find that the supposedly classified material amounted to recycled media reports. During the hearing, Kastel asked Carmi Gillon and Ami Ayalon why they lied about the report to the Supreme Court, but they refused to answer.

Last week, Zini submitted his response to the Supreme Court regarding the petitions against him, writing, “A review of the petitions shows there is no factual basis for the claims against the head of the service or the manner of his appointment. They are based solely on false media reports, rumors, and gossip.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)