Associates of Prime Minister Netanyahu are expressing deep disappointment with Shin Bet chief David Zini, claiming he is showing weakness toward the agency’s legal officials, Channel 14 reported on Monday night.

The criticism comes amid disagreements at the top of the Shin Bet over the investigation into suspected foreign interference in the elections. According to the report, those close to Prime Minister Netanyahu are angry over the footage showing Zini beside Central Elections Committee Chairman Justice Noam Sohlberg. In that footage, Sohlberg declared that even if the suspicions of foreign interference are confirmed, it would not undermine the overall validity of the election results. One associate described Zini as looking like a hostage as he sat nodding during Sohlberg’s statement.

“There is a big gap between what Zini told Sohlberg in the closed room and what he says behind the scenes, and what actually came out,” the associates said. “Zini has been projecting weakness all along. From the very first moment, when he didn’t immediately remove the rogue Shin Bet legal adviser left over from Ronen Bar and bring order to the organization the way Gofman did.”

They also claimed there have been briefings saying that three Shin Bet division heads oppose Zini and that he is struggling to deal with them. “It seems he simply placates them and doesn’t stand up to them,” they said.

According to the associates, some steps are very hard to carry out later if they are not taken at the start of a term. They voiced concern that the sensitive investigation will fizzle out, as they claim happened with the spyware affair and the Military Advocate General affair.

The Prime Minister’s Office denied that Prime Minister Netanyahu is angry with the Shin Bet chief. “The Prime Minister is not angry at Shin Bet head Zini,” the office said in response. “He expects him to do what is required of him by law in order to protect Israeli democracy from foreign interference.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)