Shin Bet chief wants to probe Channel 12 over Iran war tip-off, but denies caving to right-wing pressure

Security agency confirms David Zini met with pro-Netanyahu Channel 14 pundit Bardugo, who lobbied for investigation of rival network; Channel 14 is itself alleged to have repeatedly broadcast classified info

Shin Bet chief David Zini has sought the attorney general’s approval to look into suspicions that Channel 12 news was tipped off ahead of the US-Israeli strikes that kicked off the war in Iran, Hebrew media reported Thursday.

The security agency on Friday confirmed that Zini wants to carry out a probe, but denied that government pressure influenced its decision-making, after Jacob Bardugo, a right-wing pundit and strong supporter of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from Channel 14, said he met with Zini to lobby for an investigation.

Zini initially opposed a probe, according to reports, saying there were no leads and that it would not receive the necessary approval from Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara. But he later changed his position.

According to Bardugo, Channel 12 presenter Yonit Levy and commentators were already “in full makeup” minutes after the opening strikes were carried out on the morning of Saturday, February 28.

Hebrew media reported last month that Netanyahu asked Zini to open an investigation into the matter, following similar efforts by Defense Minister Israel Katz.

Channel 14 previously quoted the premier as claiming it was a “criminal leak” that jeopardized the success of the operation. Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi also called in early March for a probe.

In a statement Friday, the Shin Bet acknowledged that a meeting between Zini and Bardugo occurred, but said it played no role in the decision-making process.

“Without confirming the accuracy of one report or the other, let it be clear that investigations of classified leaks are opened according to the authority and decision of the Shin Bet chief, only after an orderly process involving professionals and the agency’s legal advisers, and out of the Shin Bet’s obligation to the law” prohibiting security-related leaks, the statement said.

“Any attempt to attribute the Shin Bet chief’s professional decisions… to conversations with one source or another is completely baseless,” it added.

The statement claimed that Zini decided to move forward with the probe before his meeting with Bardugo. Haaretz, however, said that assertion was false, reporting Bardugo met with Zini several weeks ago and that the Shin Bet chief voiced his opposition to the probe more recently than that.

Earlier this week, a lobbying group made up of IDF reservists called for a criminal investigation into the pro-government Channel 14, accusing it of repeatedly publishing classified material that violated censorship rules, compromising operations and endangering security forces.

The Iron Swords Fighters Forum, led by IDF Col. (res.) Hanoch Daube — who battled the Hamas invasion on October 7 and later fought in Gaza — claimed that for more than two years, Channel 14 has systematically published sensitive security information, on some occasions even before the missions had been carried out.

Opposition urges AG to probe Zini-Bardugo meeting

Critics of the government decried the meeting and called on Baharav-Miara to investigate it.

MK Merav Ben Ari of Yesh Atid wrote on X: “Why would the Shin Bet chief meet with the businessman and pathological liar Bardugo? About what? To what purpose? He has free time to spare?”

Democrats MK Efrat Reitan called on the attorney general to investigate, saying: “There is a suspicion of illicit influence on the Shin Bet chief. I will ask your urgent response and consideration of this matter.”

The Yashar party, led by Gadi Eisenkot – one of Netanyahu’s chief rivals for the premiership in upcoming elections – said in a statement that “Zini owes the public explanations.”

“If a political agent or someone close to the powers-that-be succeeded in influencing decisions that touch on the exercise of any national security authorities – that is a severe incident. The public has a right to know who made requests, who put pressure, what was spoken of in the meeting, and why it took place,” the party said.

Former prime minister Naftali Bennett – head of the Together party, and Netanyahu’s other main rival to lead the state – said that if elected, “Any public servant, in any job or government organization, who violated his duty of loyalty to the state and exploited his role for political, rather than statesmanlike purposes, will be dismissed immediately.” Though the comment didn’t mention Zini explicitly, it was interpreted in Israeli media as a reference to the affair.

The Movement for Quality Government in Israel, meanwhile, said in a statement: “A private citizen, without an official role, without security clearance – an activist for a politically identified channel – entered the most sensitive office in the state to promote an investigation against his channel’s competitor. And it worked.”

The watchdog group demanded that Netanyahu, Zini, and Baharav-Miara “confirm the meeting took place” and disclose “when and where it occurred, and who participated in it – and whether there were any other meetings or conversations between the Shin Bet chief and Bardugo before or after.”

“It must be emphasized: The Shin Bet is indeed exempt from the Freedom of Information Law – but that exemption is meant to protect state secrets, not meetings with activists,” the NGO noted. “When one of the participants has already boasted about the meeting on air, there is no secret to protect.”

Leon Kraiem contributed to this report.