Netanyahu’s pick for Shin Bet chief warned Israel was vulnerable to attack 6 months before Oct. 7

Maj. Gen. David Zini observed, “The concept of a surprise attack is not clearly envisioned or internalized by our forces. As a result, operational readiness is seriously lacking.”

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

IDF Gen. David Zini, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s new pick to head the  Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet), sounded the alarm in March 2023 that Israel was not prepared to deal with a serious attack such as the Hamas invasion that ensued six months later.

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) cited Zini’s early warnings as a key factor in appointing him as the new security chief.

At the time, Zini was approached by the commander of the Gaza Division, who asked him to assess the military’s readiness to deal with a surprise attack.

Zini concluded there was inadequate preparedness for such a scenario and recommended improvements to ensure readiness.

The PMO approved an excerpt from the classified report for publication.

Zini wrote, “In nearly every sector, our forces could be vulnerable to sudden raids, challenging the idea of being ‘surprised but not defeated.'”

He continued, “There are many opportunities for such attacks to occur during normal operations. I believe an above-ground assault is the most likely and accessible approach.”

He added that there was an inadequate understanding of and preparation for “surprise raids.”

“The concept of a surprise attack is not clearly envisioned or internalized by our forces,” he wrote. “As a result, operational readiness is seriously lacking.”

Zini recommended that clearly defined scenarios were required so the IDF could anticipate and prevent such attacks.

“The main problem lies in the situational awareness of the troops and the general defense system.”

The PMO announced the appointment of Zini despite warnings from the Supreme Court and Attorney General that he was not allowed to proceed as long as investigations into the so-called “Qatar-Gate” scandal were ongoing.

The Supreme Court also called the attempt to dismiss former Shin Bet head Ronen Bar, who resigned, improper.

The Supreme Court called the decision to fire Bar “improper,” “unlawful,” and a product of Netanyahu’s “conflict of interest.”

“The government failed to provide a tangible reason for removing the Shin Bet chief,” wrote Court President Justice Isaac Amit in the majority’s opinion. “At best, it rested on a thin and shaky foundation. At worst, it was arbitrary.”