Kikar HaShabbatSecurity20:10

Eisenkot to Receive Private Security Detail Ahead of Elections

By כיכר השבת, קובי אטינגר

Translated & summarized from Kikar HaShabbat by baba

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Hebrew · 9 newsrooms covering

Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the Yish! party, will receive a private security detail starting Sunday, managed by the Shin Bet's Unit 730. This follows a police assessment raising his threat level and an earlier Shin Bet rejection of a direct security detail. The decision comes days before elections, amid broader discussions on security for public figures, including Prime Minister Netanyahu.

The story in 6 lines · by baba

Gadi Eisenkot will receive a private security detail starting Sunday morning.
The security detail will be managed by the Shin Bet's Unit 730.
Police had previously raised the threat level against Eisenkot to level 4 out of 6.
The Shin Bet had reportedly rejected an earlier request for a direct security detail.
The decision comes shortly before national elections.
Prime Minister Netanyahu and his family also have ongoing state security arrangements.

Eisenkot to Receive Private Security Detail Ahead of Elections — Editorial illustration generated by baba News, not a photograph of the event.

Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the Yish! party, will be provided with a private security detail starting Sunday morning, according to an official party announcement released Saturday evening. This decision comes after a period of uncertainty regarding Eisenkot's security arrangements. Previously, the police had raised the threat level against the former IDF chief of staff to level 4 out of 6. The Police Commissioner had recommended immediate, armed security for Eisenkot to the Advisory Committee for Personal Security. The committee, in turn, recommended that the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) provide the security. However, in late September, the Shin Bet reportedly rejected the request for a security detail for Eisenkot, despite earlier assessments and the committee's recommendation.

The new arrangement will see a private security company operate under the direct guidance of Unit 730, the Shin Bet's personal security unit. This differs from the committee's original recommendation for direct Shin Bet protection. The issue of security for prime ministerial candidates has been in the headlines, notably in July when a ministerial committee approved unprecedented security arrangements for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his family, including ongoing state security for his wife, Sara Netanyahu.

Earlier in February, a dispute between the Shin Bet and the IDF reportedly led to a reduction in security for public figures. This was attributed to the IDF's refusal to release security personnel from Unit 730 reserves due to numerous security missions undertaken by the Shin Bet at the time.