Shin Bet assumes command of security for Gadi Eisenkot
The domestic security agency will directly supervise the protection of the Yashar party leader starting this Sunday, following a review of threat levels.
By Kofi Greco ·
Domestic security arrangements for Gadi Eisenkot, the chairman of the Yashar party, will change immediately as the Shin Bet takes command of his protection detail starting Sunday.
The party announced that a private security firm will guard Eisenkot from Sunday morning onward. These guards will operate under the direct instruction of Unit 730, the elite division within the Shin Bet responsible for personal security.
This shift follows a months long dispute over whether the party leader met the criteria for state protection. In August, Shin Bet chief David Zini initially ruled that Eisenkot did not qualify for Unit 730 support. The decision reversed after the Advisory Committee for Personal Security reviewed updated intelligence and threat assessments in September. The committee then recommended that the agency oversee the security operations.
Despite the approval from Zini, Yashar officials noted in September that no specific security team had yet been assigned to the chairman. The agency later outlined a broader framework for party leaders. This includes an intelligence oversight structure, permission for hired security teams to carry weapons, and regular threat level evaluations.
The Ministerial Committee for Shin Bet Affairs granted Zini the authority to define these measures for party leaders who do not hold public office. This mandate remains active until the next Knesset is sworn in.
Not all requests for similar protection have been successful. Yair Golan, chairman of The Democrats, also petitioned for security cover, arguing his threat level matched Eisenkot's. The Shin Bet has denied his request for immediate protection at this stage.
Source: The Jerusalem Post
