Police Official Warns of Post-Election Unrest Ahead of Vote

With Israeli elections just two days away, a senior police official has expressed concern not only about election day security but also about the potential for unrest following the announcement of results. Nearly 22,000 police officers will be deployed on election day, an increase of approximately 5,000 officers compared to previous elections, due to heightened security threats and fears of public disturbances. The official stated that the police have been preparing for this event for three months, with contingency plans in place for incidents that may arise as election projections and final results are released and in the days that follow.

While the senior officer anticipates a relatively calm election day, he emphasized that the day after the elections is equally sensitive. The police are preparing for the possibility of election results prompting public demonstrations and are also tasked with securing party events. In the past week and a half, there have been specific warnings of planned attacks, leading to increased security measures. The police are operating in full coordination with the Shin Bet and the IDF, reinforcing checkpoints, and conducting operations to apprehend illegal infiltrators. Unusually, elite counter-terrorism units, Yamam and Gideonim, will also be deployed to provide rapid response to unfolding terror incidents or infiltrations.

Police officers will be stationed at almost all polling stations, with patrol units, investigation teams, and riot police operating around polling station clusters. An additional 700 reserve officers will be available to be deployed to areas of tension. Regarding potential road blockades aimed at preventing voters from reaching polling stations, the official stated that any such attempts would be met with immediate dispersal orders, followed by forceful removal if necessary, ensuring no roads remain blocked. The police are also prepared for the possibility of missile fire during voting hours. In coordination with the Central Elections Committee and the Home Front Command, voting may be temporarily suspended or extended if necessary, with the primary goal of preventing the elections from being halted, provided human lives are not endangered.

The senior official also addressed a recent meeting with the Prime Minister, attended by Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, where intelligence and operational briefings were presented. He stressed that the police must operate apolitically during the elections, both in their work and public perception. The official explained the Police Commissioner's decision not to attend a meeting with Minister Ben-Gvir shortly before the elections, stating that meeting with a minister who is politically campaigning so close to the vote would be inappropriate from an ethical and public standpoint. Instead, the head of operations and the head of the operations division were sent to present the operational readiness. The official noted that the minister could have requested such a meeting months prior but did not. Concurrently, the Lahav 433 special investigations unit is handling 18 cases suspected of incitement related to the elections, and the police are also preparing for potential road closures by Haredi protesters on election day.