Israel’s Channel 14 reported that the Ashkelon Magistrates’ Court on Thursday evening allowed partial publication of details about a security case involving suspected smuggling of goods from Israel to Gaza in return for money.
According to the court-approved version, one of the suspects is a relative of David Zini, the head of Israel’s internal security service, the Shin Bet. The report stressed that the Shin Bet chief himself is not involved in the case.
The channel quoted the published text as saying that “a security incident involving multiple suspects is currently under investigation. They are suspected of transferring goods from Israel to Gaza in return for money. One of the suspects is a relative of the head of the General Security Service (Shin Bet), but the Shin Bet chief has no involvement whatsoever in the suspected acts.” Due to this family connection, “the investigation of the suspect is being conducted by the Israel Police rather than by the Shin Bet.”
Channel 14 said the case is of clear public interest because of its potential impact on public opinion and because the main suspect is related to a senior security official. It added that the request to lift the publication ban argued that the needs of the investigation could be protected through more limited measures, without keeping a broad gag order that raises important public questions.
The channel also reported that the investigation is being carried out jointly by the central unit (Yamar) of the Southern District Police and the Shin Bet.
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