Shin Bet to establish Islamic studies program to address Oct. 7 intelligence failures

The Shin Bet is preparing a new Islamic studies program under director David Zini, aimed at addressing intelligence failures exposed by the October 7 investigations — chiefly the failure to understand Hamas's ideology and religious extremism. The program will run alongside the agency's Arabic language institute and combine lecturers, experts, and senior officials. Zini is also pushing to improve personnel employment conditions.

The Shin Bet is preparing to establish a new Islamic studies program as part of an initiative led by agency chief David Zini, aimed at addressing intelligence failures exposed by investigations into the October 7 massacre — particularly the failure to understand Hamas's ideology and religious extremism. The program will operate alongside the Shin Bet's long-established Arabic language institute, which trains personnel across various positions and periodically trains IDF staff. Zini's initiative will bring together lecturers, subject-matter experts, and senior current and former officials to provide comprehensive instruction on Islam, with curricula tailored to the agency's operational challenges in different arenas. One of the central conclusions drawn by Israel's intelligence community from the October 7 failures was a fundamental lack of understanding of Islam, its branches and interpretations, Palestinian culture — particularly in Gaza — and broader Middle East developments. This gap was significant given the volume of high-quality intelligence available on Hamas's intentions to launch an incursion into Israeli territory. Findings also cited a failure to grasp Hamas's ideology, its radicalization after Yahya Sinwar's release from prison, and the incorporation of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin's vision into its strategy. According to intelligence community sources, as SIGINT and cyber capabilities grew more precise, the perceived need for a fundamental understanding of Islam diminished, and expertise in Islamic studies deteriorated. In parallel, Zini is undertaking a major effort to improve employment conditions for agency personnel, with expectations of progress in negotiations with the Finance Ministry following the elections.