Gadi Eisenkot to Receive Shin Bet Directed Security This Sunday

Political leaders in Israel have long sought state security coverage, but Gadi Eisenkot is the first to receive a dedicated detail under the new protocol.

The Yashar party announced that a private security company will begin guarding Eisenkot on Sunday morning. The firm will operate under the direct instruction of Unit 730, the elite counter-terrorism unit within the Shin Bet, Israel's domestic security agency.

The decision followed a shift in the security agency's stance. In August, Shin Bet chief David Zini determined that Eisenkot did not meet the criteria for Unit 730 protection. That assessment changed in September after the Advisory Committee for Personal Security reviewed updated intelligence and threat evaluations concerning the Yashar leader. The committee subsequently recommended that the Shin Bet oversee his security.

Despite Zini's approval in September, the Yashar party told The Jerusalem Post at the time that no security detail had yet been assigned to Eisenkot. The party stated this week that the arrangement is now active.

The Shin Bet outlined a set of measures for party leaders that includes an intelligence oversight and support framework. The protocol allows security teams hired by party leaders to carry weapons and requires coordination between the Shin Bet and those teams. The agency will also conduct periodic situation assessments to gauge the threat level facing each leader.

The Ministerial Committee for Shin Bet Affairs granted Zini the authority to set 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 every party leader who petitioned for protection has received it. Yair Golan, chairman of The Democrats, cited a threat level comparable to Eisenkot's. The Shin Bet has denied him immediate protection at this stage.