Domestic Spy Agency To Guard Party Leader
Security arrangements for Gadi Eisenkot will be supervised by Israel's domestic security agency beginning Sunday, ending a dispute over protection levels.
By Naledi Dlamini ·
The domestic security apparatus that usually hunts for threats will instead be tasked with preventing them for a prominent political figure, as the Shin Bet assumes oversight of security for Yashar party chairman Gadi Eisenkot. The party confirmed the arrangement will become effective this coming Sunday morning. Under the terms set by Unit 730 of the Shin Bet, a private security company will be deployed to guard the leader, operating strictly under the agency's direct instruction.
This operational shift concludes an extended dispute regarding safety measures for political figures. In August, Shin Bet chief David Zini had determined that Eisenkot did not qualify for the specific protections provided by the elite Unit 730. However, that assessment was reviewed in September when the Advisory Committee for Personal Security examined updated intelligence and threat evaluations concerning the Yashar leader.
Following that review, the committee recommended that the Shin Bet oversee Eisenkot's security arrangements. While Zini subsequently approved security for Eisenkot, the party informed the press in September that no security detail had actually been assigned to him at that time. The current plan aims to resolve that gap by putting personnel on the ground.
The Shin Bet stated that Zini has approved a specific set of measures for party leaders. These measures include an intelligence oversight and support framework provided by intelligence units, permission for security teams hired by party leaders to carry weapons, coordination between the Shin Bet and those teams, and periodic situation assessments to gauge the threat level facing each leader.
Authority for these actions stems from the Ministerial Committee for Shin Bet Affairs, which empowered Zini to determine security arrangements for party leaders who hold no public office and are not otherwise entitled to state protection. This authorization remains in force until the next Knesset is sworn in.
Not all requests for protection have been met with approval. Yair Golan, chairman of The Democrats, also petitioned for Shin Bet protection, citing a threat level comparable to Eisenkot's. The Shin Bet has denied him immediate protection at this stage.
Source: The Jerusalem Post
