Khaberni -The new chief of the Israeli internal security agency “Shin Bet,” David Zaini, has stirred widespread controversy within Israel, after making shocking statements in which he opposed any prisoner exchange deal with “Hamas” in the Gaza Strip, considering the war “existential” and that it must continue to the end.
This stance has agitated the “Prisoners' Families Forum,” which accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of appointing him specifically because, unlike his predecessor Ronen Bar, he refuses to make any deal that might stop the war, or lead to the release of prisoners.
Netanyahu insisted on nominating Zaini for the position, despite his lack of any intelligence or geopolitical background.
Behind this staunch security figure, there's a family story: Zaini has Algerian origins, where his grandfather was a clergyman overseeing the Jewish community there before migrating to France.
David himself was born in Jerusalem, while his father was active in the right-wing Zionist movement, which today is led by the extreme ministers Betzalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir.
Although Zaini has not engaged politically, unlike his father, he currently lives in the Keshet settlement located in the Syrian Golan Heights, is 51 years old, married, and a father to 11 children.
Zaini, who spent many years in the Israeli military, served in Lebanon, and participated in specific operations. According to media reports, he was among the officers who led the operation to assassinate Hadi Nasrallah, the son of the former secretary-general of “Hezbollah,” the late Hassan Nasrallah, and it is attributed to him the participation in the kidnapping of his (the son's) body into Israel.
On October 7, 2023, with the start of the “Hamas” attack, Zaini rushed to the “Gaza Envelope” area to participate in repelling the attack, a move that enhanced his military visibility.
Media reports, including in the “Maariv” newspaper, indicate that his appointment as head of the Shin Bet was not far from political and personal influences, especially by Sara Netanyahu, the prime minister's wife, who is said to have played a pivotal role in his selection.
This hypothesis links a close family relationship between his brother, Shmuel Zaini, and the American billionaire Simon Valic, who lives in Miami and is considered one of the close supporters of the Netanyahu family.
The reports note that Valic hosted Sara Netanyahu in his Miami home for about 70 days during the war on Gaza, where she was staying with her son Yair.
