Editor’s Note: Rewind and Reconnoiter is one of our weekly members-only newsletters. To access the full archive of Rewind and Reconnoiter as well as our other members-only content, including podcasts, newsletters, and exclusive access to the War on the Rocks app, sign up using the link in the graphic below.In 2025, Ofek Riemer, Daniel Wajner, and Ehud Eiran wrote, “Populists vs. Spies in Israel and Beyond,” where they argued that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s relationship with Israel’s intelligence agencies could have grave consequences for Israel’s democracy. A year later, we asked them to revisit their arguments.Image: U.S. Department of State via Wikimedia Commons In your 2025 article, you argued that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s clashes with Israel’s internal intelligence agency, Shin Bet, is a hallmark tactic of populist leaders and could have grave long-term consequences for Israel’s liberal democracy. A year later, what is the dynamic like between Netanyahu and the intelligence community? Is the relationship better or more strained than before?Compared to a year ago, relations between Netanyahu and the leadership of Israel’s intelligence agencies are less openly confrontational. This apparent improvement, however, reflects a shift in the balance of power rather than a resolution of underlying tensions. In our 2025 article, we argued that populist leaders often move from blaming intelligence agencies for policy failures to delegitimizing them publicly and eventually to seeking greater political control over them. Over the past year, that dynamic has become particularly pronounced in Israel.A few months after the legal battle we described in last year’s article, Maj. Gen. (ret.) David Zini was appointed head of the Shin Bet, and relations between him and the prime minister have appeared smooth and cooperative. Under his leadership, the Shin Bet has provided several assessments that appear aligned with Netanyahu’s political and personal interests. For example, the agency submitted
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Editor’s Note: Rewind and Reconnoiter is one of our weekly members-only newsletters. To access the full archive of Rewind and Reconnoiter as well as our other members-only content, including podcasts, newsletters, and exclusive access to the War on the Rocks app, sign up using the link in the graphic below.In 2025, Ofek Riemer, Daniel Wajner, and Ehud Eiran wrote, “Populists vs. Spies in Israel and Beyond,” where they argued that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s relationship with Israel’s intelligence agencies could have grave consequences for Israel’s democracy. A year later, we asked them to revisit their arguments.Image: U.S. Department of State via Wikimedia
