Israel's High Court Orders Security Review for Politician Yair Golan

Israel's Supreme Court, known as the High Court of Justice (Bagatz), has ordered the Shin Bet security agency and the government to review the need for security protection for Yair Golan, leader of the Democratic Party. The court's decision, issued on Tuesday, September 29, requires an assessment of the current threats against Golan and a response within two days. This ruling came just hours after the Democratic Party filed a petition with the court.

The party's petition stated that Golan lacks security despite the police assessing the threat level against him as high. It detailed numerous direct and "chilling" threats, including calls for his physical harm and assassination, emphasizing his vulnerable position without protection. The Democratic Party provided a document listing these threats, which included violent and graphic statements such as calls for Golan's execution and the annihilation of his family.

This legal action follows a previous ultimatum issued by the Democratic Party to Shin Bet chief David Zini. The party had demanded that Zini provide Golan with security by September 27, threatening to petition the High Court if their demand was not met. The party also noted that the police had classified the threat level against Golan as 4 out of 6, equivalent to that faced by other political leaders.

Earlier, on September 16, a ministerial committee on Shin Bet affairs had decided to grant the agency the authority to independently determine necessary security measures for party leaders who have not yet been sworn into the Knesset. This committee is chaired by Justice Minister Yariv Levin, who was the sole attendee at the meeting and unilaterally decided that Zini would need to arrange security packages for Golan, Gadi Eisenkot, and Ofir Winter. The Democratic Party's petition to the High Court specifically sought security for Yair Golan.