The Shin Bet confirmed Wednesday evening that its director, David Zini, ordered the removal of a memorial display established at the agency’s headquarters in honor of Shin Bet personnel who were killed on October 7.
“In the view of the director, presenting only some of the fallen diminishes the failure and reflects only part of the terrible disaster that befell us,” the agency said in a statement.
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David Zini, ordered the removal of a memorial in honor of Shin Bet personnel who were killed on October 7
(Photo: Shalev Shalom)
The Shin Bet added: “The failure of October 7 is one of the greatest and most painful failures in the history of the State of Israel. At the agency’s headquarters there is a memorial wall displaying all of the fallen, not just a small portion of them.”
The decision was first reported by Haaretz. According to the report, the rationale given for the order, which was issued after the most recent Memorial Day for Israel’s fallen soldiers and victims of hostilities, was that “there is no need to see the failure in front of our eyes every day.” Associates of Zini reportedly described the memorial display as reflecting “defeatism.”
The display, which was established at the initiative of agency employees, featured photographs of Shin Bet personnel killed on the day of the massacre and in its aftermath, along with commemorative messages. It also included photographs of soldiers killed in the war whose parents work for the Shin Bet.
Twelve Shin Bet employees were killed on and after October 7, including at the Nova music festival. Among those murdered was Smadar Edan, an employee of the agency and the wife of late ynet photographer Roi Edan, who was killed at her home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza. Additional Shin Bet personnel were killed in fighting against Hamas terrorists in southern Israel and in the Gaza Strip.
According to a report aired Tuesday by Channel 12 News, Zini also ordered the cancellation of all Pride Month activities within the Shin Bet. Following the decision, several requests submitted by the agency’s LGBTQ forum were reportedly denied.
The report also said the head of the agency’s human resources department was instructed to transfer all funding allocated to LGBTQ-related activities into the organization’s general budget and to close the forum.
The Shin Bet said: “For the sake of accuracy, no formal request on this matter reached the director’s office. At the same time, and importantly, we wish to clarify that if a particular group seeks to gather and hear a lecture of its choosing, there is no obstacle to doing so, provided it complies with agency regulations, which have not changed in this area since the current director took office.”
Smotrich: ‘these are progressive agendas’
Religious Zionism party chairman Bezalel Smotrich described the activities of the Shin Bet’s LGBTQ forum as “progressive agendas.”
Religious Zionism party chairman Bezalel Smotrich described the activities of the Shin Bet’s LGBTQ forum as 'progressive agendas'
(Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)
In a statement, he said: “The role of Israel’s security services is to protect the country’s citizens, thwart threats and defeat our enemies. The resources of the security establishment should be directed solely toward the core security missions for which they were intended.
“The public debate surrounding social agendas belongs in the public and political arena, not at the heart of the work of the security agencies. The security services must remain focused on their professional mission and on the serious security challenges facing the State of Israel.”
The finance minister added: “I support the Shin Bet director’s decision to remove progressive agendas from the service, and I am confident he is acting out of professional responsibility and in the interest of national security. Had I known that defense budget funds were being invested in matters not directly related to security missions, I would have demanded that it be stopped and that resources be directed to the purposes for which they were intended.”
Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli said: “One of the memories etched in my mind from the evening of October 7 was entering the government meeting at the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv. Across from the building where the meeting was held stood a giant neon sign reading: ‘The IDF Chief of Staff’s Adviser on Gender Affairs.’
Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli
(Photo: Elad Gershgorn)
“I clearly remember my first thought being how unfortunate it was that all that energy had not been invested in an adviser for border defense. It is not the role of national security organizations to promote gender and LGBTQ agendas. The IDF and the Shin Bet are not universities and are not political organizations. They have one mission: safeguarding Israel’s security.”
Yaron, who worked for the Shin Bet from 1992 to 2016, criticized the decision to close the LGBTQ forum.
“When I was there, there was no LGBTQ forum, but I came out during my service in 2008,” he told ynet. “There was never any issue with it. I informed my manager. I knew there were other gay men and lesbians in the service, and it was never a problem.
“When I hear about this, my blood boils. LGBTQ rights in Israel have already been eroded over the past four years, and members of the community are being attacked because of their sexual orientation. The fact that the director feels free to deal with something that runs contrary to equality laws is inconceivable.
“When I served, the atmosphere was very inclusive and accepting. It simply wasn’t an issue.”