Justice Minister Levin Authorizes Shin Bet Chief to Decide on Security for Party Leaders

The Ministerial Committee for Shin Bet Affairs, chaired by Justice Minister Yariv Levin, decided on Wednesday to empower the Shin Bet to determine the necessary security arrangements for party leaders who are civilians and currently lack official protection, until the 26th Knesset is sworn in. Levin was the sole minister present at the discussion. This decision means that Shin Bet chief David Zini will decide on the security package for Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Gadi Eisenkot, Democratic Party chairman Yair Golan, and Ha'am Itanu chairman Ofer Vintur. Leaders like Naftali Bennett, Yair Lapid, and Avigdor Lieberman already have security due to their previous roles. Eisenkot and Golan are among those whose security will now be determined by the Shin Bet chief. Earlier in the month, the Advisory Committee on Personal Security recommended providing security for Eisenkot until the elections, though his party has been funding his private security. Most members of that committee were absent from its discussion. In July, it was reported that Eisenkot's election campaign decided to hire private security for him at large events and tours due to the Shin Bet's refusal to assign him protection, despite his significant role in the upcoming elections and potential threat exposure. Officially, Eisenkot lacks Shin Bet security as he holds no formal state position. The advisory committee convened after the Chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, wrote to the National Security Council director stating that the committee should discuss the security of party leaders, even if they are not Knesset members.