Democrats Sue Shin Bet Over Security for Party Leader Yair Golan

The Democratic Party has filed an urgent petition with the High Court of Justice, demanding that the Shin Bet security agency and the state immediately provide security for party chairman Yair Golan. The petition highlights a severe threat assessment, with Israeli Police rating the risk to Golan as high (4 out of 6), alongside explicit murder threats and his inclusion in a threatening letter attached to a brick thrown at Channel 12 studios. In response to legal pressure and a swift court order for the state to reply urgently, the Shin Bet issued a statement, which the party dismissed as a dangerous misrepresentation and an attempt to evade judicial decision.

The tangible threat to Golan was evident last Wednesday in Beersheba, where he attended a public meeting. Party teams monitoring social media groups detected an organized, threatening gathering with violent messages. Golan, accompanied only by unarmed civilian security, was evacuated via an emergency plan. The party argues that private security is insufficient given the current incitement climate, and that the lack of state security directly impedes the ability of party leaders to hold democratic gatherings.

The Shin Bet announced it would provide intelligence and approve firearm permits for private security hired by party leaders. The Democratic Party vehemently criticized this, calling it a legal evasion tactic and a transparent attempt by Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar to shirk responsibility under Section 7 of the Shin Bet Law, which mandates protecting democratic order. The party accused Bar of prioritizing loyalty to the 'king' over the 'kingdom,' citing the allocation of Shin Bet agents to protect the Prime Minister's wife and adult children while attempting to offload party leader security onto private firms. They stated this refusal to acknowledge legal responsibility places Golan at severe personal risk for a potential political assassination.