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 an assessment to the court that contributed to the postponement of Netanyahu’s testimony in his corruption trial citing security risks and another that reversed the agency’s traditional position, supporting the populist death penalty law for terrorists proposed by the far-right Otzma Yehudit party, and approved in March 2026.At the
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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
