PM's Office Denies Reports on Security Chief's Role Amid Controversy

The Prime Minister's Office has vehemently denied recent reports alleging impropriety in security decisions concerning the Prime Minister and his family, labeling the claims as "completely false and distorted." The office stated that all security decisions are based solely on professional assessments by authorized security officials, considering threat evaluations and operational needs, not personal preferences. They assert that attempts to attribute ulterior motives to these decisions are designed to create a false impression of misconduct and harm the Prime Minister and his family.

The statement specifically addressed the security chief, Alon Haliva, head of the Prime Minister's Security Department, praising his professionalism and the department's performance in both routine and emergency situations. The office also noted that these allegations have been previously investigated and addressed, including by the Supreme Court, which upheld the director's decisions. They emphasized that rehashing these claims is an improper attempt to damage a professional public servant.

Top Skyline, a security company involved in the matter, also refuted the reports, calling them a recycling of unsubstantiated claims from 2022. The company stated that its contracts were awarded through tenders and that the design and implementation of security systems were determined exclusively by the Shin Bet. They confirmed that the Shin Bet verified the systems' compliance with design specifications before classified sites were approved.

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett also responded to specific claims attributed to Haliva. Bennett denied allegations regarding a request for a concrete structure, explaining it was a necessary replacement for an aluminum canopy to support heavy armored vehicles, a recommendation supported by an independent inspection. Regarding a security vehicle, Bennett stated that a malfunctioning vehicle was provided and Haliva was asked to supply a safe, operational one, unrelated to any specific individual.

Bennett also clarified that he personally paid for repairs to an irrigation system damaged during the construction of a security post at his residence.