Shin Bet deputy chief spoke to Jewish federation group
Palestine-Israel Library: I’ve curated one of the most extensive online book lists devoted to the subjects of Israeli genocide and Palestinian resistance. It features 75 titles (including Francesca Albanese’s new book linked here) including non-fiction, fiction, food and the arts. Purchases support independent bookstores and Tikun Olam.
.חשיפה: סגן ראש השב”כ החדש הוא נמרוד גז, הפודל של ביבי
Yesterday, Tikun Olam broke the gag order prohibiting reporting the arrest of Bezalel Zini, brother of the Shin Bet’s new boss, David Zini. Today, I’m breaking another gag order. The censor prohibits exposing the identity of senior intelligence officials in cases such as this. But censorship has no jurisdiction here.
Zini, who is perhaps the most controversial candidate for this post in the country’s history doesn’t disappoint in the choice of his new chief deputy, Nimrod Gez.
Israeli media may not publish the identity of such senior officials under what’s known as the Shin Bet law. I do so in defiance of the censor. Once upon a time, Jeff Bezos adopted the Washington Post’s slogan: democracy dies in the dark. In Israel, democracy died in the dark a long time ago. But I believe in light, and curse the darkness.
Gez was a mid-level Shin Bet official when he quit the service eight years ago caught up in scandal. He was formally reprimanded after an investigation found him responsible for a failed operation that left one of his agents dead. He was killed by IDF fire. This apparently makes him duly qualified to perform the duties of the second-highest job in the nation’s key intelligence agency.
At the time he left, he headed the Southern Region, which encompassed Gaza. This largely involved field work recruiting and running agents and informers. He has never had any major administrative experience, which is what’s required in his new post.
In the past, the highest level posts have always been filled with individuals with long and deep experience in senior positions. Many inside the agency are aghast at this appointment. They liken it to a colonel being promoted to three-star general and made deputy to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. An Israeli columnist called the appointment “Bibists on steroids.”
There is of course much to criticize about the Shin Bet and I’ve done so repeatedly here. But it’s never been an instrument of the political elites to use and abuse at will. Until now–when it’s been transformed into a tool to capture scandals and smother them. Zini and Gez’ main task will not be to protect the nation, but to protect “the [crime] family.” Yet another step toward Israeli kleptocracy.
A security official who works with the Shin Bet said:
This is unthinkable. This means that Zini has no trust in any of his department heads, and even if he wanted to appoint a brigade head, he could not find a candidate currently serving in the Shin Bet, and instead had to bring in someone from outside, who is no longer familiar with the organization’s work.
Zini had other options. There were other suitable internal candidates for the role with far deeper experience. For example the current deputy chief, a 30-year veteran of the service, who’s earned extensive praise for his achievements. But he had one fatal flaw which disqualified him: he was the key investigator of Qatargate, the latest and perhaps most dangerous scandal Bibi faces. He would never appoint someone who could place his head on a chopping block. Now the current deputy has resigned. Consequently, one can assume that the Qatargate case will wither away and die.
Zini’s choice of someone of lower stature, who hasn’t even served in the spy service for nearly a decade, shows his mistrust of the agency’s personnel. The response of those passed over and those whose loyalty to the organization is paramount, will likely be to resign. This may not disturb Zini, who may wish to put his own stamp on the spy agency. But it will surely weaken it in precisely the same way Trump and DOGE gutted the federal government by firing hundreds of thousands and eliminated entire agencies and budgets. As for Zini, this isn’t an auspicious start of a new boss’ tenure.
In normal times, a prime minister faced with such a substandard appointment, would block it in order to maintain stability and continuity. But these are definitely not normal times and Netanyahu is not a normal prime minister. He prefers to throw a hand grenade into a tea party just to see how the guests will react. This government is full of substandard people and substandard ministers. So why should Netanyahu deprive Zini of his substandard subordinate?
Netanyahu would welcome Gez’ appointment, since the latter served in national security posts in the prime minister’s office, where he had a low-level job and did not stand out. In fact, the former might have pressured Zini to appoint him, since Gez’ loyalty would be to the prime minister rather than the Shin Bet. Facing a corruption trial and a major scandal dubbed Qatargate, he welcome an investigative agency led by inexperienced officials who owe their allegiance to him, rather than the institution. The Shin Bet, in fact, plays a major role in investigating the very crimes for which Netanyahu is charged. With Gez in place, Netanyahu is in the clear.
This entire episode reeks of corruption and manipulation of the levers of power for personal interest. But it is nothing new–and characteristic of what the State of Israel has become.
Note: I have not found any photos of Gez online. If you find one, please send it to me.
