Israeli police clash with protesters after Netanyahu appoints new Shin Bet chief

JERUSALEM/ISTANBUL

Israeli police clashed with protesters Thursday in Tel Aviv after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appointed Maj. Gen. David Zini as the new head of the Shin Bet internal security agency, defying a legal ruling and drawing a sharp public backlash, Israeli media outlets reported.

Police arrested several demonstrators who had taken to the streets in central Tel Aviv to protest Netanyahu’s decision to replace Ronen Bar, the outgoing Shin Bet chief, in direct opposition to legal advice from the country’s attorney general, according to the Israel Hayom daily.

The Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported that at least four protesters were detained amid several demonstrations condemning the move. Videos shared on X showed Israeli police arresting demonstrators during the clashes.

Earlier in the day, Netanyahu’s office announced the appointment of Zini, despite a previous warning from Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara that the prime minister lacked the legal authority to proceed with the replacement while legal checks were pending.

The public broadcaster KAN confirmed that Netanyahu acted in disregard of a Supreme Court ruling which deemed Bar’s dismissal unlawful and flagged a conflict of interest. The court also said the dismissal lacked due process.

Israeli opposition lawmakers slammed the appointment.

“Netanyahu has a serious conflict of interest in the matter of appointing a Shin Bet chief due to the Qatargate scandal in which the people closest to him received money from an Arab country that supports terrorism,” opposition leader Yair Lapid wrote on X.

Lapid called on Zini to “declare that he cannot accept the appointment until the Supreme Court issues its decision on the matter.”

The leader of the opposition National Unity Party, Benny Gantz, said “the Prime Minister crossed another red line this evening by ignoring the Attorney General’s instructions on appointing the head of Shin Bet.”

“Netanyahu is once again violating the rule of law and leading us toward a constitutional clash—at the expense of Israel’s security,” he added.