Shin Bet chief visits Paris for counterterrorism talks

David Zini, the director of Israel’s Shin Bet internal security service, traveled to Paris to meet with senior officials from France’s DGSI and DGSE intelligence agencies. The discussions focused on counterterrorism, Islamist radicalization, and ongoing security cooperation.

The visit highlights a pragmatic security partnership that persists despite significant diplomatic friction between Paris and Jerusalem. While French President Emmanuel Macron has publicly criticized the Israeli government and restricted Israeli defense firms from certain exhibitions, intelligence channels have remained open to share expertise in threat prevention and network identification.

The meeting occurred following periods of domestic unrest in France and amidst broader geopolitical tensions regarding the war in Gaza. The collaboration underscores a reliance on clandestine information exchanges that transcend political disagreements and ideological postures.