Israeli Government Committee Decides Who Receives State Security Protection

The responsibility for protecting individuals in Israel lies with the Shin Bet, as established by a 1975 government decision and later codified in the 2002 Shin Bet Law. This law assigns the agency the role of securing people, information, and locations designated by the government. Alongside Shin Bet, the Prime Minister's Office operates the "Magen" unit, which protects ministers and senior officials both domestically and abroad.

The authorized body to decide who receives protection is the Ministerial Committee on Shin Bet Affairs, appointed by the government. This committee includes the Prime Minister as chair, the Defense Minister, Justice Minister, Minister of Public Security, and an additional member. In January 2023, the current government added Education Minister Yoav Kisch to the committee. The committee oversees the Shin Bet’s State Protection Unit (Unit 730), which provides personal security.

An advisory security committee also exists to recommend which individuals should be protected. In April 2023, the government renewed this advisory committee’s terms, limiting members’ tenure to 120 days after a new government forms, and requiring it to include a senior professional or managerial figure, a senior security official, and a retired judge or equivalent. The advisory committee’s chair is either the senior security official or the experienced professional.

Discussions and decisions of the Ministerial Committee are confidential under the Basic Law: The Government, with no public records available. Past media reports reveal that the committee has exercised its authority, such as approving Shin Bet’s recommendation in March 2020 to transfer Benny Gantz’s security to the State Protection Unit, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s approval. In July 2021, the committee shortened the security detail for Netanyahu’s family from one year to six months post-tenure. Later that year, the committee rejected Netanyahu’s request to extend protection for his wife and sons, citing security assessments.

However, about a month ago, the committee reversed course, approving lifetime security for Sara Netanyahu and five years of protection for their sons Yair and Avner. The article also notes that Globes maintains a respectful and ethical discourse policy, filtering out inappropriate content.