Former IDF Chief Gadi Eisenkot Lacks Security Detail Despite Potential PM Role

Gadi Eisenkot, the 21st Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, currently receives no personal security protection from any official Israeli agency. Neither the Shin Bet, Israel Police, the Prime Minister's Office security unit, nor the Knesset Guard provide him with security, despite his potential to become Israel's next prime minister and his former military leadership role.

Eisenkot is not a member of the Knesset, which leaves him without clear responsibility for protection under existing protocols. In contrast, former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is protected by the Shin Bet due to his status as an ex-PM. Meanwhile, Yair Netanyahu, son of the current prime minister, is guarded both in Israel and abroad by the Shin Bet's personal protection unit.

This security gap highlights a systemic failure involving the Shin Bet, Israel Police, and the political echelon, particularly the Ministerial Committee on Shin Bet Affairs, which authorizes security for senior figures. The committee quickly approved protection for the prime minister's wife and children but has not considered Eisenkot's security needs. Eisenkot was protected by the "Magen" unit only while serving as a cabinet minister; once he left, his protection ended. He has not requested security from any agency.

The Shin Bet stated that it provides protection only to individuals designated by law, and Eisenkot is not among them. Eisenkot's office declined to comment, but the situation raises concerns about the need for urgent reassessment of security provisions for prominent figures in Israel.