JERUSALEM — Clips of a private recording of David Zini, Director of the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet), were leaked by I24 News. In the recording, made at an event before his alma mater, Zini discussed loyalty to elected officials.

Zini stated, "a reason that maybe I am better than the others. For my ability to remain loyal to the elected echelon, not that it matters what their ideology is. It could be others [other than Netanyahu] ." He also said, "With all due respect to the lawyers and jurists, they are meant to be a kind of ancillary tool to assist on specific issues." Zini clarified, "I am not speaking about the Justice Ministry, I am speaking about all of the other things." He added, "No, my friends, don't take this to that kind of a place. A country with no law and with no legal establishment would be a destroyed state. Don't take it to that place."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appointed Zini to the position, an appointment that received approval from Sarah Netanyahu. The appointment occurred without prior notification to then-IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir. Zini is the first Shin Bet chief since 2000 to have no prior background in the agency. Former Shin Bet chiefs have included Ami Ayalon, who previously served as head of the navy, and Ronen Bar, who held the position immediately before Zini.

Since his appointment, Zini has pressed the Shin Bet legal advisor to change legal opinions regarding the location of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's trial. He also delayed signing a standard legal form, which protected Likud MK Tali Gotliv from indictment for several months. In another instance, Zini refused to shake the hands of female Shin Bet agents at an awards ceremony. Zini attended a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on October 5, 2025, and visited the Mount Herzl Military Cemetery in Jerusalem on April 21, 2026. Separately, officials close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were indicted in the Qatargate affair. David Zini's brother was indicted in a case involving smuggling illegal items into Gaza. Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman Boaz Bismuth sent a letter to Zini.