Shin Bet spokesman fired over espionage allegations

According to Israeli media reports, David Zini, the newly appointed head of Shin Bet, dismissed the agency’s spokesperson just days after assuming office, accusing him of maintaining secret ties with the former Shin Bet director and engaging in espionage.

The spokesperson, identified only by the initial “A”, is expected to leave his post in the coming days after 20 years of service in the agency. Zini is set to appoint a new spokesperson soon.

Shin Bet officials stated that the department under his supervision had been “highly unstable over the past two years.” They claimed the spokesperson sided with Ronen Bar, the former director of the agency, in his disputes with Netanyahu and even cooperated with Bar against the prime minister.

According to the agency, the spokesperson failed to adequately manage the media fallout from the October 7 attacks (Operation Al-Aqsa Flood) and the subsequent dismissal of Ronen Bar. The statement added that he was expected to help restore public confidence in Shin Bet and resist mounting criticism and demands for transparency.

However, sources close to the new Shin Bet chief stated that the decision to remove the spokesperson had been planned before Zini took office, suggesting that the dismissal was not initiated by him personally.

Meanwhile, Israeli news outlet i24NEWS revealed new details about the case, reporting that the spokesperson is suspected of leaking classified information to Israeli Channel 12 journalists Amit Segal and Shirit Avitan Cohen. The leaked information may have been used to influence public opinion or gain political leverage.

According to the report, Shin Bet had wiretapped the spokesperson’s communications for six consecutive months, eventually questioning him in April 2025 on suspicion of passing classified materials. Although he was released without conditions, the agency continued to monitor him closely using advanced surveillance tools.

Shin Bet now claims to have obtained evidence linking the spokesperson to both the intelligence failure of October 7 and to internal investigations into Netanyahu’s political opponents allegedly infiltrating the Israeli police.