Following the Prime Minister's announcement of his decision to appoint Major General David Zini as the next head of the Shin Bet, replacing the failed Ronen Bar, today (Friday) the sequence of events leading up to the appointment was revealed - from the meeting at the Tse'elim airbase between Zini and Netanyahu to the dismissal of the major general from the IDF.
According to a report by Itai Blumenthal in Kan News, Netanyahu met with Major General David Zini at the Tse'elim Air Base two weeks ago, as part of the Prime Minister's visit to a reserve brigade training camp, in preparation for expanding the ground maneuver in Gaza.
During the visit, Netanyahu asked Zini to get into his car to talk to him privately. Officers who were present at the event said the two spoke privately for five minutes.
During the conversation, the two discussed the issue of ultra-Orthodox mobilization, as Major General Zini is among the founders of the ultra-Orthodox Hasmonaean brigade and was previously sent by the IDF to speak with rabbis in Bnei Brak; the fighting in Gaza, and reservists.
Then Netanyahu asked Zini: "What do you think about the Shin Bet?"
Zini, according to a source who heard the contents of the conversation afterwards, told the prime minister that he would prefer to remain a major general in the IDF, but if he were called to the flag, "Here I am.".
After the unusual conversation with the Prime Minister, Major General Zini updated the Assistant Chief of Staff and told him that the Prime Minister had spoken with him about a variety of issues. The following day, Zini met with Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and informed him that he had met the Prime Minister during a training session at Tse'elim and that Netanyahu had asked him, "What is his opinion of the Shin Bet?".
Zini replied to the Prime Minister: "I would prefer to be a major general in the IDF, but if I am called to the flag - I will come.".
That evening, Major General Zini called the Assistant Chief of Staff, Colonel Alon Laniado, and told him that Netanyahu had spoken with him about a number of issues, without giving details.
On Sunday, Zini called Chief of Staff Zamir and informed him: "Netanyahu threw the Shin Bet issue at me." The Chief of Staff told Zini: The conversation between you was not proper, the Chief of Staff's approval should have been obtained in advance, but keep me informed of developments.
Two weeks have passed since that incident, and nothing has happened.
Yesterday's announcement by the Prime Minister's Office about Zini's appointment as the next head of the Shin Bet surprised Chief of Staff Zamir - and also Major General Zini.
The Chief of Staff was informed of the appointment three minutes before the announcement was made to the media.
The Chief of Staff's Office assumed that there would be a formal, official process before announcing the appointment of the next head of the Shin Bet, certainly when it comes to a senior officer who is a member of the General Staff Forum - a stage that includes coordination between the Prime Minister's Office and the Chief of Staff's Office, an orderly process that also includes interviews of candidates, which did not happen.
In the meeting this morning, Chief of Staff Zamir spoke with Zini, told him that he appreciated him, and at the same time, it was impossible that if he was going to be head of the Shin Bet, he would also continue his position in the IDF, and therefore decided to put him through the process of retirement.
Chief of Staff Zamir, according to a statement issued by the IDF Spokesperson's Office, did not dismiss Zini because of the appointment, but because it is impossible for a candidate for head of the Shin Bet to continue to sit on the General Staff forum, as this would constitute a conflict of interest.
This is because the General Staff Forum is a military echelon and the Shin Bet is a separate echelon - and sometimes there are disputes between the two bodies. The conflict of interest lies in the fact that the same person cannot be a member of both bodies at the same time.
Moti Castel, Channel 14's political correspondent, presented 6 points:
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