Leaked audio reveals anti-Muslim incitement by newly appointed Shin Bet chief David Zini

A leaked recording broadcast by Israel's Channel 12 on Sunday has revealed incendiary remarks made by Major General David Zini, the newly appointed head of Israel's internal security agency, Shin Bet, in which he openly incites against Muslims.

The audio, recorded during a recent meeting with Israeli settlers near the Gaza border, captures Zini claiming that Israeli intelligence regularly detects alleged threats from Muslims planning attacks against Jews.

He framed this as a continuous pattern dating "from the birth of Ishmael until further notice," invoking the biblical figure traditionally regarded as the ancestor of Arabs - a claim that is not supported by historical or archaeological evidence.

The leak adds fuel to the growing backlash against Zini’s appointment and highlights internal divisions within the Shin Bet. Field coordinators responsible for the Jerusalem and West Bank areas have reportedly threatened to resign, describing Zini's worldview as "messianic" and incompatible with the agency's core values. They fear his leadership could politicise the Shin Bet and damage its nonpartisan character.

In the same recording, Zini addressed Israel's ongoing war on Gaza and criticised the prioritisation of captive recovery over the objective of destroying Hamas.

"The war on Gaza has not yet achieved its goals," he said. "If anyone promises there are no threats, take them to a lie detector."

He also admitted that Israel had lacked the manpower to fully secure its borders, saying: "Even if you call up all the reserves and deploy them across the borders, it won’t be enough."

Zini further alleged that the threat posed by Hamas had developed over the years and could not be eliminated quickly, stating that reaching a point where there was no threat from Gaza would be "a task for several more years".

His remarks mark a sharp departure from the approach of outgoing Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar. Channel 12 noted the leaked comments suggest a shift in the way Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu views the agency's role in Israel's broader defence strategy.

Zini's appointment by Netanyahu has already triggered legal and political uproar. Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara warned that the prime minister had lacked the authority to confirm the appointment before completing legal vetting, describing the process as "flawed" and raising concerns over conflicts of interest.

Zini is set to replace Ronen Bar, who was dismissed by the government in March, with the decision scheduled to take effect last month. However, the Israeli Supreme Court froze the dismissal after opposition lawmakers filed petitions. Bar later announced he would step down on 15 June, saying he had rejected Netanyahu’s demand for "personal loyalty".

Netanyahu claimed the dismissal was due to a "lack of trust" following the Hamas-led 7 October attacks, during which Palestinian fighters overran Israeli military bases and settlements near Gaza, killing and capturing scores of Israelis.

Hamas said the assault was in response to Israel's ongoing occupation of Palestinian territories, daily violence, and the 17-year-long blockade of Gaza.

Zini, born into a religious Zionist family of Algerian origin, lives in the Keshit settlement in the occupied Golan Heights. He is married and has 11 children.