Brother of Shin Bet Chief Suspected of Involvement in Cigarette Smuggling to Gaza
It started with a cigarette smuggling suspicion. But as the brother of Shin Bet chief David Zini has been named a suspect, people who know him best are saying this is just an attempt to discredit David.
Bezalel Zini, the brother of Shin Bet chief David Zini, has been named as a suspect in a cigarette smuggling operation into the Gaza Strip. Sources familiar with the case say his involvement was "minor" relative to the other suspects.
According to Channel 12 and Haaretz, the investigation revealed a far more extensive list of "dual-use" items that were smuggled into Gaza, including heavy-duty drones (capable of carrying 70kg), dozens of smartphones, batteries, electrical cables, and high-end machinery.
Since his name became public today (Tuesday), several prominent figures have come to his defence, declaring the allegations to be a coordinated attempt to undermine his brother's appointment as head of the Shin Bet.
Udo Norden, chairman of the Senior Forum of former public sector officials and author of the book "The Boss," and a personal friend of Bezalel Zini, published a public post expressing his full support and his conviction in Zini's innocence.
"Unfortunately, we are witnessing a prolonged witch hunt from the worst kind of people in the State of Israel," Norden wrote. He described the pursuit of Bezalel Zini as part of a pattern, drawing a parallel to the case of Brigadier General (Res.) Oren Solomon, a fellow member of the forum, whom he said was similarly targeted and harassed until his innocence was ultimately proven.
"The method of violently arresting honest people in order to silence those who are not part of the establishment is one of the most serious things that has happened in the State of Israel," he said.
Norden went on to describe what he called a "small and corrupt group with mafia-like characteristics" that has, in his words, taken control of law enforcement mechanisms and is exploiting them to persecute and silence those outside the political establishment.
He claimed that the investigation into Bezalel Zini was not spontaneous, but rather a calculated move. "When the appointments committee announced, without any legal authority and with no precedent, that if an investigation were to be opened against a close relative of David Zini he would have to resign, or the Prime Minister would have to dismiss him, some raised their eyebrows in surprise, while others began counting down to the moment the system would open an investigation against one of Zini's family members," Norden wrote, making clear that, in his view, the real target is David Zini, not his brother.
He added: "I personally know Bezalel Zini. I am confident that all the allegations against him are entirely unfounded. He is a man of integrity who, since the start of the war, has barely seen his family and has been fully dedicated to activity in the Gaza Strip. Bezalel Zini would never entertain the idea of conducting any deal to transfer goods into the Strip. Money and personal gain have never been a consideration for him. Everything he has ever done has been with honesty, for the sake of the public. He is simply made of different stuff."
Norden concluded his statement by writing: "The time has come to clean the systems of the corrupt elements that have taken them over and are violating human rights in the most brazen way. The attempt to bring down Zini is a red line. In times like these, we are all Zinis."
Bezalel Zini's father also responded to the allegations, making clear that the case is directed at the Shin Bet chief, not at his son Bezalel. "Everything is manufactured, with no concern for anything. It is not him they want to bring down, but his brother. Thank God, the public understands this well," he said.
Knesset Member Avi Ma'oz also weighed in on Tuesday, writing: "The clouds are beginning to clear. The blood libel against the heroes of Israel from Koach 100 pales in comparison to the blood libel against Bezalel Zini. How symbolic that this is being exposed on the same day that the workshop of the 'rule of law gang' announces the end of the whitewashing in the affair of the female IDF officer. The Shin Bet chief David Zini has eight more siblings, who is next in line?"
Indictments are expected to be filed within the coming days against at least 11 individuals involved in the Gaza cigarette smuggling affair.
Police have submitted a prosecutor's declaration to the court, signalling that the case is moving into the prosecution phase. The indictments are expected to be filed as early as Monday.
Notably, suspicions of contact with a foreign agent have been removed from the case, and the file has now been handed over to prosecutors to determine the final charges.
A lawyer representing one of the suspects issued a statement on Tuesday firmly rejecting the allegations against his client. "My client categorically denies all suspicions attributed to him, including the suspicion of involvement in the smuggling of goods into Gaza," the lawyer said. "My client is a man of great integrity, for whom the good of the state has always been and will always remain at the forefront of his mind."
The lawyer also noted that his client reported for significant reserve duty immediately upon the outbreak of the war.