At his Jerusalem inauguration, new Shin Bet chief David Zini pledged to restore trust, strengthen Israel’s security service, and act decisively with ethics and unity.
In a solemn yet determined ceremony at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem on Thursday morning, David Zini was officially inaugurated as the new head of Israel’s Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) — a post critical to safeguarding the nation amid evolving security and social challenges.
Delivering his first public address as director, Zini struck a tone of integrity, purpose, and national unity, underscoring both Israel’s resilience and the agency’s moral duty in turbulent times.
“It seems to me that today, the situation seems much easier than it was two years ago, but challenges still lie ahead,” Zini began. “The current reality creates uncertainty, and we, the Shin Bet personnel, will act as public servants — emissaries of the entire nation.”
Turning to the heated climate of public discourse in Israel, Zini offered a pointed reflection on truth and responsibility:
“We live in a reality where public debate is sometimes not only about the way, but about the very criteria — what is truth and what is falsehood. This is also a challenge for the Shin Bet, which is required to act lawfully, ethically, and to allow a diversity of opinions within open discussion. But once a decision is made, we will act decisively.”
Zini’s remarks were widely interpreted as a pledge to balance democratic openness with the agency’s uncompromising mission to protect Israeli lives, even as internal and external critics scrutinize its conduct after years of operational strain.
Earlier this month, former Shin Bet senior official Yossi Amrosi told Arutz Sheva – Israel National News that Zini’s top priority must be rebuilding public trust following past controversies.
“His first challenge will be to restore public trust in the organization, and trust within the organization itself, after the failures of recent years,” Amrosi said. “Despite setbacks, the service remains a fantastic organization that works day and night.”
Amrosi outlined three core tasks awaiting the new chief:
- Reinforce long-term strategic planning — rebuilding institutional power neglected during the war and leadership vacuum.
- Revisit investigative shortcomings — reopening flawed inquiries to uphold transparency and justice.
- Re-examine operational doctrines — challenging outdated security assumptions to adapt to emerging threats.
Zini’s leadership comes at a pivotal moment. The Shin Bet — central to Israel’s counterterrorism and intelligence defense — must recalibrate in a post-war landscape defined by asymmetric threats, technological warfare, and internal polarization.
By pledging a “lawful, ethical, and decisive” path forward, Zini positioned himself as both a guardian of Israel’s democracy and a bulwark of its security — reaffirming that strength and morality must go hand in hand in the defense of the Jewish state.
