Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara are reportedly nearing an agreement that would pave the way for Netanyahu�s preferred candidate, Maj. Gen. David Zini, to be appointed as the next head of the Shin Bet.
The appointment has been on hold since May, when Baharav-Miara informed Netanyahu that naming Zini would be legally problematic due to an ongoing conflict of interest. At the time, the Shin Bet and police were conducting a joint investigation into Netanyahu�s close aides as part of the Qatargate affair � a probe that placed Zini, by virtue of his role within the security apparatus, in a potentially compromised position.
The legal dispute reached the High Court of Justice after a conservative advocacy group filed a petition challenging the attorney general�s stance. During a contentious hearing last week, a majority of justices appeared sympathetic to the petitioners, casting doubt on Baharav-Miara�s legal justification for blocking the nomination.
According to multiple Hebrew media reports, the emerging compromise would allow Zini�s nomination to move forward in approximately two months, once the Shin Bet has formally concluded its involvement in the Qatargate investigation � effectively resolving the perceived conflict of interest.
Neither the Attorney General�s Office nor the Prime Minister�s Office has publicly confirmed the details of the agreement. The High Court has also not yet issued a ruling in the case or formalized any compromise.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)