Opposition leader Yair Lapid said on the X platform that "Netanyahu is in a serious conflict of interest regarding the appointment of the head of the Shin Bet, due to his involvement in the Qatar-Gate scandal," calling on Zinni to reject the appointment until the Supreme Court issues a ruling.
Opposition party leader Benny Gantz said Netanyahu had "crossed another red line," accusing him of undermining the rule of law and leading the country toward a constitutional conflict at the expense of national security.
In turn, opposition Democratic Party leader Yair Golan, via XN, considered Netanyahu's actions "a violation of the law and a direct challenge to the Supreme Court's ruling," warning of an unprecedented constitutional crisis and emphasizing that "the democratic state of Israel will not fall."
On Thursday, clashes erupted between Israeli police and angry protesters in Tel Aviv following Netanyahu's announcement of Zinni's appointment as the new head of the Shin Bet. The privately owned newspaper Israel Hayom reported that clashes erupted between police and protesters angered by Netanyahu's decision.
The newspaper published a video clip on its X platform showing Israeli police arresting a number of protesters as a result of the clashes.
For its part, the privately owned Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported that police "arrested at least four demonstrators after a number of protests erupted in downtown Tel Aviv against Netanyahu's decision."
Netanyahu announced earlier Thursday the appointment of Zinni to succeed current Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, despite warnings from Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara that the dismissal is currently illegal.
The official Israeli Broadcasting Corporation noted that Netanyahu's decision "contradicts the Attorney General's ruling that the Prime Minister does not currently have the authority to appoint a replacement for current Prime Minister Ronen Bar until the legal review of his dismissal is completed."
Netanyahu justified the dismissal decision by citing a "lack of confidence" in Bar, while Bar suggested the decision was politically motivated due to his refusal to pledge "personal loyalty" to the prime minister.
On Wednesday, after the Supreme Court ruled that Netanyahu's decision violated the law , Mayara warned against any appointment before completing the legal review related to the dismissal of current President Barr.
The court issued a temporary injunction preventing Barr's removal or the appointment of a replacement until legal challenges filed by the opposition are finally resolved. However, Barr later announced his intention to leave office on June 15.
The court (the highest judicial authority) said in its decision on Wednesday that Bar's dismissal "took place in an improper manner that violates the law, and amid a conflict of interest on the part of the prime minister due to the ongoing investigations against those close to him in the Qatar Gate affair," according to the private Israeli Channel 13.
Qatargate refers to investigations in which two Netanyahu aides are accused of receiving funds from an American public relations firm linked to a contract with the Qatari government. This contract aims to "positively promote Qatari interests from within the Prime Minister's Office." Doha has denied these allegations in the case, calling them "baseless."
These developments come amid the ongoing Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, which since October 7, 2023, has resulted in the deaths and injuries of more than 175,000 Palestinians, most of them children and women, amid complete disregard for international calls and orders from the International Court of Justice to halt violations against civilians.
