David Zini

David Zini (Hebrew: דוד זיני; born 9 January 1974) is an Israel Defense Forces major general, currently serving as head of Training Command and the commander of the General Staff Corps. Previously, he held positions such as the commander of Malach, the commander of the Company and Battalion Commanders Course, the commander of the Idan Formation, the founder and commander of the Oz Brigade, the commander of the Fire Training Center at Malach, the commander of the Alexandroni Brigade, and the commander of the Egoz Unit.^[1]

David Zini
Native name	דוד זיני
Born	(1974-01-09) 9 January 1974 (age 51) Jerusalem, Israel
Allegiance	Israel Defence Forces
Years of service	1992–Onwards
Rank	Major General (aluf)
Battles / wars	South Lebanon conflict (1985–2000) Operation Defensive Shield 2006 Lebanon war 2009 Gaza war 2014 Gaza war Gaza war

Biography

Zini was born in Jerusalem and raised in Ashdod. He is the son of Rabbi Yosef and Pnina Zini, with his father later becoming the rabbi of District D in Ashdod. He is the eldest of ten children. His uncle is Rabbi Dr. Eliahu Rahamim Zini and his grandfather is Rabbi Meir Zini. In his youth, he studied at Morasha Talmud Torah in Jerusalem, Hispin Yeshiva High School, Yeshiva Shavei Hebron (website here), and the Keshet Yehuda Pre-Military Academy.

He enlisted in the IDF in 1992 and volunteered for the Sayeret Matkal unit. After basic training with the Paratroopers Brigade, he completed the unit's training program as a combat soldier. After finishing the course, he served for a year in an operational company within the unit. After completing the Infantry Officers Course,^[2] he transferred to the Golani Brigade, where he was assigned as a platoon commander in the 12th Battalion. Later, he became the commander of the 3rd spearhead company in the 12th Battalion,^[3] leading it during the fighting in southern Lebanon.^[4] He then commanded Company A in the Egoz Unit. During Operation Defensive Shield, he was on a study break. He interrupted his studies and returned to the brigade until the end of the operation.^[5] Later, he became the deputy commander of the 51st Battalion. Afterward, he was the commander of the advanced training cycle at the Golani Training Base. During the Second Lebanon War, he served as the commander of the Golani Brigade's operational command post.^[6]

In 2006, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel and appointed commander of the 51st Battalion,^[7] a position he held until 2008. In March 2007, he dealt with a mutiny of battalion soldiers after he stopped negative norms related to the differences between veterans and new recruits.^[2] In July 2007, under his command, the battalion launched operations in Gaza that continued until February 2008. During this period, he led the battalion in the fighting in the Gaza Strip from the Disengagement to Operation Cast Lead, involving dozens of operations in which numerous militants were killed, weapon caches were discovered, and terror infrastructures were destroyed.^[8] For its prolonged and determined combat efforts, the battalion received a unit citation on 27 April 2008, from the commander of the Southern Command, Yoav Galant.^[9][10] In 2008, he was appointed commander of the Egoz Unit,^[11] leading it during Operation Cast Lead. In 2010, he completed his role and went for further studies.

In 2011, he was promoted to the rank of colonel and appointed commander of the Alexandroni Brigade,^[12] and a division head in the Company and Battalion Commanders Course.^[13] In 2013, he simultaneously served as the commander of the Fire Training Center at Malach. During Operation Protective Edge, following the injury of the Golani Brigade commander, Ghassan Alian, Zini was temporarily appointed as his replacement,^[14] leading the brigade during the continued Battle of Shuja'iyya in eastern Gaza.^[15] He completed these roles in 2014. He then served as the operations officer of the Central Command from 2014 to 2015. On July 6, 2015, he was tasked with establishing the Oz Brigade,^[16] and assumed his role as its first commander on 27 December. He completed his tenure on 17 August 2017. He then attended the National Defense College (class 45, 2017–2018).

On 29 January 2018, he was promoted to the rank of brigadier general, and on 31 January, he assumed command of the Idan Formation.^[17][18] While simultaneously serving as the commander of the Company and Battalion Commanders Course from 2019 to 2020. He served as the commander of the Idan Formation until 10 September 2020.^[19] On 24 June 2020, he was appointed commander of Malach, and he held the position until 27 October 2022.

On 1 June 2023, he was promoted to the rank of Aluf,^[20] and on 5 July, he assumed his roles as the commander of the Training and Doctrine Command and the commander of the General Staff Corps.^[21] On 7 October 2023, immediately upon learning of the surprise attack on Israel, he rushed from his home in the Golan Heights to the south, fighting alongside forces on the ground and neutralizing terrorist cells that had infiltrated from the Gaza Strip into the area near Kibbutz Mefalsim, participating in the Battle of Mefalsim.^[22] During Operation Iron Swords, it was revealed that in May 2023, he authored a classified document following a comprehensive, multi-system review he conducted on IDF activities along the fence with the Gaza Strip in response to various scenarios. At the request of Gaza Division Commander Brigadier General Avi Rosenfeld, Zini outlined extreme scenarios, including the infiltration of terrorists under complete intelligence surprise, and recommended the necessary responses, concluding with remarks about the "concept" formed around the fence.^[23]

Following the departure of Major General Avi Gil from the role of military secretary to the prime minister, Zini's name was raised as a candidate, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu even interviewed him for the possibility.^[24] Amid the possibility of new draft legislation during Operation Iron Swords, Zini was involved in the initiative to establish a new Haredi brigade, enabling ultra-Orthodox integration into the IDF while maintaining their values and subject to the rulings of the Haredi leadership.^[25] To this end, he met with Rabbi David Leibel in Bnei Brak, and upon leaving the meeting, his vehicle was attacked by extremists.^[26]

On 22 May 2025, Netanyahu appointed Zini as the next Shin Bet chief following the resignation of Ronen Bar, though the Supreme Court of Israel had earlier declared the forced early termination of Bar "unlawful".^[27]

Personal life

Zini resides in the moshav Keshet in the Golan Heights. He is married to Naomi, and is the father of eleven children. He holds a bachelor's degree in Education and a master's degree in National Security and Public Administration from the National Defense College.^[28]