Israel's premier said Friday his pick for the next domestic intelligence chief should be appointed "as soon as possible", but would have no hand in an ongoing investigation into his associates.
Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to tap army Major General David Zini to lead the Shin Bet -- which follows months of legal and political wrangling over his attempt to sack incumbent head Ronen Bar -- has already sparked threats of a legal challenge.
"It is imperative to name a permanent head of the Shin Bet as soon as possible," a statement from Netanyahu's office said.
"It is a security requirement of the highest order, and any delay infringes on the security of the state as well as that of our soldiers."
The statement also noted the probe into alleged Qatari influence involving advisers to the premier, which Israeli Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara has suggested created a conflict of interest in Netanyahu's attempt to fire Bar.
Netanyahu's office said that "to avoid any suspicion linked to the inquiries concerning Qatar, the prime minister clarifies that the appointed head of the Shin Bet will not be involved at all in these investigations".
It noted that the appointment still had to be approved by a vetting committee and the cabinet.
The prime minister announced Zini's selection on Thursday night, a day after the supreme court ruled the government's decision to fire current security chief Bar was "improper and unlawful".
The announcement defied Baharav-Miara, who had said that given the court ruling, the premier "must refrain from any action related to the appointment of a new head of the Shin Bet".
'Flawed' process
Following the announcement, the attorney general said there was "serious concern that he (Netanyahu) acted while in a conflict of interest, and the appointment process is flawed".
In March, Netanyahu said he was dismissing Bar because of an "ongoing lack of trust".
That move was challenged in court by non-profit organizations and Israel's political opposition, which decried it as a sign of anti-democratic drift on the part of Netanyahu's right-wing coalition government.
Bar himself suggested that his ouster was linked to investigations into Hamas's deadly October 7, 2023 attack on Israel "and other serious matters".
He has since said he will step down in June.
In a brief statement, the Israeli military said on Friday that its top commander, Eyal Zamir, had "decided on MG David Zini's retirement from military service in the upcoming days", and thanked him for his "lengthy service".
The statement added that Zamir "reiterates that any discourse conducted by IDF soldiers with the political echelon must be approved by the Chief of General Staff!"
The tone of the statement prompted speculation in Israeli media that Zini, once seen as a potential military chief himself, had been fired.
With AFP
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