Arya News - The brother of Israel’s internal spy chief has been arrested and is set be charged with aiding Hamas.
The brother of Israel’s internal spy chief has been arrested and is set be charged with aiding Hamas.
Bezalel Zini, brother of Shin Bet director David Zini, is accused of taking part in a large-scale criminal operation to smuggle contraband cigarettes into the Gaza Strip.
Because Hamas is well known to extract significant revenue from the trade in illegally imported tobacco, Mr Zini faces the charge of assisting the enemy during wartime.
In a case that has gripped Israel, the alleged smuggling has been described as a “clear act of treason”.
However, the defendant’s family have protested his innocence and described the pending charges as a “plot” to bring down his brother, whose appointment ignited national controversy last year.
Bezalel Zini’s family have said the claims are ‘all made up’
IDF commanders have warned against a trend of smuggling contraband into the Hamas-controlled west of Gaza through the largely non-physical “yellow line” border that demarcates the zone from Israeli-occupied territory.
Given the IDF’s overall control over the Strip, army personnel were already suspected to be involved.
Military ‘smuggling ring’
A defence source this week described this alleged smuggling ring as the “tip of the iceberg”.
Ashkelon magistrates’ court disclosed on Tuesday that Mr Zini is one of more than a dozen suspects accused of exploiting their position in the military to smuggle in prohibited items potentially worth hundreds of thousands of pounds.
According to Israeli media, prosecutors are expected to argue that the contraband allegedly smuggled into the Strip would aid Hamas.
Israel banned the import of cigarettes and other tobacco products during the war.
It has pushed up the price of smuggled cigarettes – up to $60 a packet – which are heavily taxed by Hamas.
As The Telegraph reported last month , in some neighbourhoods, Hamas has taken over the cigarette trade entirely.
A Palestinian makes cigarettes for sale individually after the price of packs soared - Eyad Baba/AFP
Suspicions were first raised six weeks ago, when soldiers stationed near the yellow line spotted a suspicious truck. It was revealed to be carrying heavy drones, telephones, batteries and other equipment banned by Israel on the basis that they could be used for terrorism.
This prompted Shin Bet to open an investigation.
‘All made up’
Mr Zini, an army reservist, was arrested two weeks ago and reportedly told investigators that he knew nothing about the smuggling.
Because of his connection to the head of Shin Bet, Israeli police have taken over the probe.
At court this week, Mr Zini’s father, Rabbi Yosef Zini, described the allegations as “all made up”.
He said the charges were aimed at destroying David Zini’s career as Shin Bet director, because he is the first chief of the service to come from a strict religious background.
The former Major General in the IDF was appointed by Benjamin Netanyahu last year following the acrimonious sacking of the previous chief, Ronen Bar , which prompted large demonstrations in Israel.
Bar, a career intelligence officer, was widely believed to have been removed for refusing to halt a probe into alleged Qatari influence in the prime minister’s office and diverging with Mr Netanyahu on the strategy for hostage negotiation.
Major General David Zini (bottom left) is sympathetic to the Jewish settler movement - Kenny Holston/Getty Images
Maj Gen Zini has no intelligence background, but was said to be close to Mr Netanyahu, as well as sympathetic to the Jewish settler movement in the West Bank, which Shin Bet has traditionally disdained as a threat to Israel’s security.
However, his tenure has not so far attracted significant controversy and he is not accused of any wrongdoing.
His other brother, Shmuel, told reporters this week: “The path is long, but the truth will win out. The Israeli people understand the situation.”
Describing the alleged smuggling, an IDF official told Ynet: “In the coming years, the Gaza Strip will be rebuilt from the ground up – entire cities constructed from scratch through massive infrastructure contracts, involving enormous resources and thousands of trucks entering daily.
“That will create even greater opportunities for corruption, theft and smuggling. That’s why this phenomenon must be stopped now – it is a clear act of treason in every sense.”
On Tuesday an IDF reservist officer was seriously wounded in a gunfight in the Gaza Strip.
Israel subsequently ordered artillery strikes on tented areas east of Gaza City and Khan Younis, killing nine, according to Palestinian media.
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