Shin Bet Chief Decides No Security for Former IDF Chief Gadi Eisenkot Amid Political Tensions

Shin Bet head David Zini has made a decisive ruling that the agency will no longer provide security to former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, who now leads the political party Yashar!. This decision, announced on Saturday night by Channel 12 news, has sparked significant controversy and questions about the motivations behind it. Eisenkot's team responded sharply in a letter sent to involved parties, including the State Attorney, accusing the Israeli government and relevant security committees of shirking their personal responsibilities due to political considerations.

The move comes amid escalating political tensions between Eisenkot and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government. Eisenkot has emerged as a prominent political rival, with recent polls showing his party Yashar! leading with 26 seats, significantly ahead of Netanyahu's Likud. Eisenkot’s camp views the security withdrawal as a politically motivated and problematic step.

This development adds to a series of clashes between Eisenkot and the government. Recently, Eisenkot harshly criticized the government over chaotic conditions at Ben Gurion Airport, calling it a reflection of Netanyahu's administration's poor management culture. Additionally, Eisenkot is engaged in a legal dispute with the Religious Zionism party, having petitioned the Elections Committee to remove a campaign video by Minister Bezalel Smotrich, alleging improper use of children and misleading portrayal of Smotrich’s legislative actions.

Separately, Shin Bet chief Zini has been in the public eye for other reasons, including denying reports of a senior official’s dismissal within the agency. Meanwhile, the family of missing girl Haimenot Kassaw, missing for 899 days, has appealed directly to Zini to allocate Shin Bet resources to aid in the search efforts.