Relative Says Shin Bet Chief Defended Oct. 7 Memorial Removal
Published
Current July 6 Israel-time reporting says a bereaved relative said publicly that Shin Bet chief David Zini defended removing an October 7 memorial at the agency's Tel Aviv headquarters by saying enough time had passed since the Hamas-led attack. Earlier reporting said Zini had ordered the unofficial memorial corner removed after Memorial Day, while the Shin Bet confirmed the display was taken down and argued that memorializing only some of the agency's fallen did not reflect the full disaster. The dispute has angered families of murdered employees, including relatives of Smadar Mor Idan and Roee Idan, whose daughter Avigail was kidnapped to Gaza and later freed. Israel's security services must preserve operational focus while honoring every October 7 victim with reverence, clarity and direct care for bereaved families.
Sources
Difference in reporting
Sources agree that David Zini directed or defended removing an October 7 memorial corner at Shin Bet headquarters, that bereaved families were upset, and that the agency said it has a broader memorial wall. They differ on the stated rationale: Haaretz, Channel 13 and the current Times of Israel report attribute to Zini or a call participant the claim that enough time had passed since the attack; Ynet and the earlier Times of Israel emphasize the Shin Bet's formal explanation that a partial memorial did not reflect the full disaster; Channel 13 adds that Zini described the display as temporary and said it was removed to avoid discrimination among fallen personnel.
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