Zini cancels Shin Bet Pride event, slashes budget for all LGBT programming - report

The head of Israel's Security Agency (Shin Bet), David Zini, has ordered the cancellation of the agency's annual Pride Month event and significantly reduced funding for all related programming. The decision, reported by N12, has led to the halting of various planned activities, including changes to computer system displays, the addition of banners, and the distribution of stickers and pride flags.

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It is not the role of national security organizations to promote gender and LGBTQ agendas. The IDF and Shin Bet are not universities, nor are they political organizations. Their role is one: to safeguard Israel's security!

Sources indicated that event organizers were informed of the cancellation with no clear explanation provided, despite extensive preparations. The head of Human Resources at Shin Bet also received instructions to transfer the entire budget allocated for pride-related events to the general organizational budget. The Shin Bet stated that no official request had reached the director's office but clarified that any group wishing to gather for a lecture is permitted, provided it complies with service procedures.

Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli publicly supported Zini's decision, asserting that national security organizations like the Shin Bet and the IDF should focus solely on safeguarding Israel's security and not on promoting "gender and LGBTQ agendas." He argued that these agencies are not universities or political organizations.

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Discrimination, extremism, and messianism are the threat. The Shin Bet must be a home for everyone who serves the state with loyalty and professionalism - regardless of their identity.

Conversely, Democrats chairman Yair Golan condemned the move, stating that the LGBTQ community poses no threat to Israel's security. "Discrimination, extremism, and messianism are the threat," Golan stated, adding that the Shin Bet should be inclusive of all who serve the state loyally. The Aguda Association for LGBTQ Equality in Israel expressed shock and demanded Zini retract his decision, calling it discriminatory.

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At the outset, we would like to note for the sake of good order that no official request on this subject has reached the office of the head of the service, the Shin Bet told N12 about the situation. However, and not to be out of place, we would like to clarify that to the extent that a particular group wishes to gather and hear a lecture of its choosing, there is no impediment, provided that this complies with the service's procedures, which have not been changed in this area since the current head of the service took office.