https://arab.news/9mvwr
JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Thursday his pick for the next head of the Shin Bet domestic security agency, defying the country鈥檚 attorney general and a significant segment of the public.
鈥淧rime Minister Netanyahu announced this evening his decision to appoint Major General David Zini as the next head of the Shin Bet,鈥� a statement from the premier鈥檚 office said.
The decision is the latest development in a long-running controversy surrounding the role, which has seen mass protests against the incumbent chief鈥檚 dismissal, as well as against moves pushed by Netanyahu鈥檚 government to expand elected officials鈥� power to appoint judges.
The supreme court on Wednesday ruled the government鈥檚 decision to fire current domestic security chief Ronen Bar was 鈥渋mproper and unlawful.鈥�
Netanyahu鈥檚 move to tap Zini to replace Bar directly defied Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, who had said that, given the court ruling, the premier 鈥渕ust refrain from any action related to the appointment of a new head of the Shin Bet.鈥�
Netanyahu immediately responded in a rare press conference that his government would make an appointment despite Baharav-Miara鈥檚 stance.
Following Thursday鈥檚 announcement, the attorney general released a statement saying that the prime minister was acting 鈥渃ontrary to legal guidance.鈥�
鈥淭here is serious concern that he acted while in a conflict of interest, and the appointment process is flawed,鈥� the statement said.
Zini, the son of immigrants from France and the grandson of a Holocaust survivor, has held 鈥渕any鈥� operational and command positions in the Israeli military, Thursday鈥檚 announcement said, including for some elite units and combat brigades.
The announcement comes after more than two months of political and legal wrangling over who should head the powerful agency.
In March, Netanyahu said that he was dismissing Bar due to 鈥渙ngoing lack of trust.鈥�