Democrats Accuse Shin Bet Chief of Shirking Duty Over Golan's Security

The Democratic Party has accused Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar of evading his legal responsibility to provide official security protection for party leader Yitzhak "Yitzhak" Golan. The party filed a petition with the Supreme Court demanding the government and Shin Bet ensure Golan's safety, citing repeated and direct death threats against him and his family. The police have assessed the threat level against Golan as a 4 out of 6, according to the party's filing.

Last week, Golan was forced to leave a public event in Beersheba after party staff identified organized threats against him circulating on WhatsApp, Telegram, and other platforms. An emergency evacuation plan was activated to remove him from the venue. The Democratic Party had previously warned Bar on September 23rd that they would petition the Supreme Court if official protection was not granted, following Shin Bet's tasking to determine security arrangements for party leaders lacking official protection.

The Democrats argue that private security is insufficient given the threats Golan faces and that Shin Bet is responsible for protecting party leaders during election periods. The party accused Bar of "shirking his responsibility under the law" and attempting to evade the agency's duties, stating that the Shin Bet chief "chose loyalty to the king over loyalty to the kingdom."

The party cautioned that the lack of official protection, amidst ongoing threats, could endanger Golan and hinder his ability to hold safe election conferences and events.