Beersheva District Court Judge Alon Gavizon ruled on Monday that the brother of Israel’s Shin Bet director did not aid the enemy, as had been claimed by the State Attorney’s Office.
Bezalel Zini, who headed the “Uriah Force,” responsible for demolition work, was charged last week of abusing his position, which included the ability to hand out permits for the entry of convoys into the Gaza Strip.
Another hearing on the case will be held on Tuesday, Ynet reported.
The State Attorney’s Office said Zini, 50, helped to smuggle approximately 14 crates of cigarettes through the Sufa Crossing, located on the southeastern border of the Gaza Strip, knowing they could reach terrorist organizations, including Hamas, and support them financially.
Jerusalem banned the entry of cigarettes into Hamas-run Gaza during the war, with officials saying the products are sold at high prices on the black market and heavily taxed by the terrorist organization.
Prosecutors had said Zini and two of his co-defendants “acted for financial gain, knowing that their actions circumvented the restrictions imposed by the State of Israel on the transfer of goods into Gaza as part of wartime efforts, despite the clear security risk inherent in their conduct.”
Zini received 365,000 shekels ($117,500) for three separate instances of smuggling, according to prosecutors.
Ten of 15 suspects were ordered released by the court on Feb. 4. Zini was not one of them.
However, in Monday’s ruling, Gavizon said that the actions of Zini, and the four others still held, did not amount to aiding the enemy. At previous hearings, the judge had expressed skepticism about that particular charge.
Gavizon made his decision during a hearing about whether the five suspects should be held in custody during the evidence-gathering phase of the trial, as requested by the Southern District Attorney’s Office.
The matter will be addressed in Tuesday’s hearing, Ynet reported.
Bezalel Zini’s brother, David Zini, was appointed head of the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) in October 2025.
Shmuel Zini, a third brother, told reporters at the Ashkelon Magistrate’s Court on Feb. 4 that his family believes the case is part of a plot to remove David Zini from his post.
“The path is long, but the truth will win out,” Shmuel told reporters. “The Israeli public understands the situation.”
David Zini, who is not involved in the case, made clear that he expected no favors for his brother, telling police immediately after the arrest: “Don’t blink. Act with all your might.”
