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)