What is unfolding within the Israeli entity today can no longer be dismissed as a domestic or sovereign matter, despite the claims of its extremist government. Over just two days — May 22 and 23, 2025 — Israel has seen an extraordinary escalation across political, security, and judicial arenas. This crisis lays bare the fragility of its political system and reveals the extent of polarization and authoritarianism driven by Benjamin Netanyahu.
The appointment of retired Major General David Zini as head of the General Security Service (Shin Bet) is not merely an administrative shift. It is a direct affront to the judicial establishment — long touted by Israel as a democratic pillar — and a calculated strike against its own military and security institutions.
Netanyahu, now fighting for political survival rather than the security of his entity, has pushed Zini into this key role despite significant opposition from Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and warnings from the Supreme Court of “a blatant conflict of interest” and “a flagrant violation of the law.” The Court also deemed the dismissal of former chief Ronen Bar unjustifiable. Yet Netanyahu pressed forward, exposing his disregard for the last vestiges of institutional order.
Zini, born in Jerusalem in 1974, is a veteran of elite units like Sayeret Matkal and Egoz and once led the Commando Brigade. But his intelligence background is thin — raising grave concerns about the rationale for his appointment. In Israeli circles, there is little doubt that personal loyalty to Netanyahu and his family — particularly his wife, Sara — outweighed professional merit. Maariv reported Sara Netanyahu’s lobbying for Zini’s elevation, while journalist Shoval called the move part of a broader effort to “domesticate” Israel’s security bodies in service of a far-right agenda.
The military establishment was blindsided. The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation revealed that Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi was informed just three minutes before the official announcement — a slight that underscores the civilian leadership’s contempt for military protocols.
Opposition figures sounded the alarm. Yair Lapid urged Zini to decline the post until a final court ruling, citing “a dangerous conflict of interest.” Benny Gantz described the decision as “a transgression of all red lines” and a “threat to the rule of law.” Protests erupted in Tel Aviv and beyond, with demonstrators decrying the “politicization of Shin Bet” and its transformation into a tool for Netanyahu and the fascist right, led by Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir.
Meanwhile, a development of equally grave concern occurred in the United States. On May 23, 2025, Republican Congressman Randy Fine made incendiary remarks on Fox News, openly calling for the nuclear bombing of Gaza. He invoked the US attacks on Japan in World War II and advocated for the Palestinians’ “unconditional surrender” through nuclear force.
These are not isolated outbursts. They reflect a dangerous alignment between Netanyahu’s government and the US far-right, emboldened by support from powerful segments of the American Jewish lobby. This backing enables Israeli leaders to commit war crimes against Palestinian civilians under the cover of international silence.
Within Israel, some political and military figures are beginning to sound the alarm. They warn that this extremist nexus — between Netanyahu and radical voices in the US Congress — could spark a catastrophe in Gaza and across the region. Congressman Fine’s statement coincides with the ongoing Israeli military operation “Gideon’s Chariots,” a campaign that risks expanding into a regional war, especially if Netanyahu chooses escalation over a prisoner exchange.
This is no longer a simple government-opposition standoff. It is a systemic crisis, threatening the cohesion of the Israeli entity itself. Netanyahu’s goal appears to be the total monopolization of the security and judicial apparatus — turning these institutions into puppets serving his political survival. This is not an internal matter. It is a threat to regional stability and global security.
Only the deluded believe that bombing Gaza or undermining Shin Bet will remain confined to Palestine. Netanyahu’s recklessness — amplified by the derangement of figures like Randy Fine — risks igniting a conflagration with consequences well beyond the region. The specter of World War-level devastation looms, born from the same political madness that once drove the world into catastrophe.
Silence is no longer an option. The international community — led by the United Nations Security Council and the International Criminal Court — must intervene with resolve. We must make clear: those who threaten to annihilate a nation, destabilize a region, and flirt with nuclear warfare are not legitimate political actors — they are war criminals who must be held to account.
To let Netanyahu and his allies persist is to sign a global pact with chaos. The world must act now — or be complicit in what comes next.
Dr. Marwa El-Shinawy – Academic and Writer
