Israel's Netanyahu to appoint Major General David Zini as next head of Shin Bet, his office says

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appointed Major General David Zini as the new head of the domestic intelligence service Shin Bet, his office said in a statement on Thursday.

The chief of Shin Bet, Ronen Bar, announced his resignation in April, saying he would step down on June 15, six weeks after Netanyahu tried to oust him.

The Shin Bet, which handles counter-terrorism investigations, has been at the centre of a growing political battle pitting Netanyahu's right-wing coalition government against an array of critics ranging from members of the security establishment to families of hostages in Gaza.