Shin Bet Chief Supports Long-Term Security Detail for Sara Netanyahu Amid Controversy

Shin Bet Chief David Zini has responded to a request from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's wife, Sara Netanyahu, by submitting a professional opinion supporting the continuation of her personal security detail well beyond her husband's term in office. This sensitive opinion was delivered to the advisory security committee, headed by retired Brigadier General Ronen Cohen, which translated it into an official recommendation for the ministerial committee on Shin Bet affairs. This committee is scheduled to convene later the same evening to discuss and make a final decision on the matter.

Despite the dramatic nature of the move, significant disagreements have emerged behind the scenes regarding the interpretation of the Shin Bet's recommendation. Some insiders claim the decision represents a concession by the Shin Bet chief to Sara Netanyahu's demand for lifelong security, while security officials clarify that the opinion focused solely on the level and nature of threats against her, not on the duration of the protection. The exact length of the security detail remains a political decision to be finalized by the ministerial committee.

The debate occurs within the complex framework of Israel's personal security arrangements, where laws provide specific protocols for families of former prime ministers but with notable variations in practice. For example, the children of former prime ministers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid currently receive no security detail. Supporters of the extended protection for Sara Netanyahu argue that Israel's security landscape has drastically changed following the recent war, with heightened threats from hostile states and terrorist organizations against Israeli government symbols and their families.

The practical implication of this development is an attempt to establish a stable security network for the Netanyahu family after their time in office. Political sources suggest concerns within Netanyahu's circle about a potential future electoral defeat, prompting efforts to secure Shin Bet protection for Sara Netanyahu and their sons, Yair and Avner, preemptively. Currently, the family is protected by the Shin Bet's state security unit, a responsibility transferred from the Prime Minister's Office's "Magen" unit on the recommendation of former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar. Presently, Sara Netanyahu and her sons' security is approved until the end of 2026, while the prime minister himself is entitled to state security for 20 years after leaving office, meaning the 76-year-old Netanyahu could receive protection until age 96.